


The Nature of Rising

by ShinjiShazaki



Series: The Nature of Fire [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, M/M, sequel story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2020-12-27 01:41:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 42,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21110600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinjiShazaki/pseuds/ShinjiShazaki
Summary: The lives of an emperor and an empress-to-be, both private and public: what gives Adrestia strength, and what those who slither have to face.Or, the marriage of Byleth Eisner and Edelgard von Hresvelg, and the waning days of those who slither in the dark.(A sequel to The Nature of Falling)





	1. Fine Details

**Author's Note:**

> The recovery of an emperor: a cause for celebration, and a time to continue building Adrestia’s strength.
> 
> Or, a homecoming of two sorts, a rekindling of conflict, and a quiet night for the Black Eagles.
> 
> (Explicit content warning for the start of the chapter)

By the time the sun was setting, the head healer had given Edelgard and Lysithea clean bills of health. At first the Black Eagles were giddy, but it was soon stymied when the healer said one thing.

“They need to stay here for one more week,” she’d said. “If only to recover from being in the coma.”

“I don’t think we’re up to walking around much,” Lysithea said.

“It would be unwise, I’m sure,” said Edelgard. “We’ll stay.” She looked to Byleth as the healer left and, smiling slightly, said, “Will you go back to our bed now, Byleth?”

“I will when you can go with me,” Byleth said.

She chuckled, saying, “I knew you’d say that. At least say you’ll go teach your students after this week is done. We will be well by then, and I know you’ve missed it.”

Byleth hesitated. She gave in, smiled, and said, “All right.”

“Knights will be stationed directly at the infirmary for this week,” Hubert said. “The rumors have gotten too extensive to control, so we might as well make it clear that Lady Edelgard was unwell.”

“I say we should blame those who slither,” Ferdinand said.

“We will,” Edelgard replied. “It’s too good an opportunity to rally the populace against them.” She looked between Hubert and Ferdinand, asking, “How are the other ministers?”

“Deeply relieved,” said Hubert. “They’d been waiting for good news for quite a while before this morning.” He raised a brow and asked, “Shall I bring you reports from the meetings now?”

“No,” Edelgard said. “I trust Byleth to lead while I’m here.” She smiled and said, “And I’m sure I’ll recover faster if I _don’t_ go through reports.”

Dorothea laughed. “First your fiancee makes a joke and now _you’re_ making them, Edie. I wonder if the crest of Seiros is what made you so stiff before.”

“I’ve been known to make jokes, Dorothea,” Edelgard said mildly. “It’s a bit easier to joke now, you must admit.”

“Oh, I do. I’m quite happy to see you in such high spirits after the last few weeks.” She moved close to kiss Edelgard’s cheek, saying, “But not as happy as Byleth is, I’m sure.”

“Yeah, I think this time it’s the professor who’s happiest out of all of us,” Caspar chuckled. “I never thought I’d see you look as happy as when we came in this morning, Teach. I mean, you probably will at your wedding, but that’s…uh. Did you ever set a date for that?”

Byleth and Edelgard looked at each other. Eventually, Edelgard admitted, “We haven’t yet.”

“May I formally retract my comments about a fall date for your wedding?” Ferdinand asked.

“To replace them with what?”

“Suggesting that you have it in the next few months before we fight Nemesis.”

Edelgard thought. She said, “That’s not a bad idea, Ferdinand.”

“Just hear me—wait, you agree?”

“Politically, it gives people comfort to have a married couple leading them,” Edelgard replied. “And having an emperor and an empress to lead them against an enemy like Nemesis and those who slither will be a great comfort.”

She reached out to give Byleth her hand, saying, “But more importantly, I think we’ve waited long enough. I want you to be my wife, Byleth.”

“Edie, I know I said the professor would make it difficult to write an opera about you two, but now _you’re_ going to make it difficult with how ridiculously romantic you’re being. I’m not sure a writer could do it justice.”

“I’m sure there are many talented writers who would love to write our story, Dorothea,” Edelgard said. “Perhaps they could write novels instead of operas.”

“Perhaps, but I maintain that an opera _must_ be written.”

“Maybe after we’re married,” Byleth said.

“Or later,” said Edelgard. “It would be nice to take our daughter to see it one day.”

“You will be having a little one?” Petra asked, eyes widening and growing bright. “May I ask when?”

“Not until we defeat Nemesis,” Edelgard replied. “That should give me enough time to recover from this.”

“I volunteer my services as an uncle!” Ferdinand said.

“You’re not allowed to speak to her when she starts learning to speak.”

“What? Why on earth not?”

“Because I don’t want her first words to be ‘I am Ferdinand von Aegir.’”

The Black Eagles broke down laughing, even Hubert hiding his chuckling behind one hand, as Ferdinand blushed. Byleth smiled, bringing Edelgard’s hand up to kiss her fingers. Edelgard smiled at her, bringing her hand close in turn to kiss her palm.

————

As the week passed, Edelgard and Lysithea quickly regained strength. They put the weight they’d lost back on easily, finally able to keep food down. Their coughing fits only lasted the first day, and none of the fits brought blood with them. The headaches fully stopped by the third day, the rest of the pain in their bodies fading by the fourth. The sixth day saw them steady on their feet, and by the seventh day they were walking without issue.

“Combat is off limits for a month,” the head healer said as they prepared to leave eight days after waking, “but I recommend easing into training to build your strength back up gradually. Even you, Miss Lysithea.”

“We’ll be cautious,” Edelgard said. “Thank you for everything.”

She bowed to them as they left, Lysithea going toward her quarters with Linhardt and Caspar as her escorts, and Byleth and Edelgard heading to their own. Byleth locked the door behind them when they were inside, wrapping her arms around Edelgard when she moved closer.

“It feels like it’s been so long since you held me like this,” Edelgard murmured, holding Byleth tight. Because Byleth said nothing, she leaned back to look at her face. She was crying, and Edelgard smiled with sympathy as she reached up to wipe the tears away.

“Please don’t cry,” she said gently. “I’m all right. I’m with you again.”

Byleth nodded, but she bowed her head to the crook of Edelgard’s neck as her breath hitched. Edelgard let her cry, stroking her hair as she trembled. When her tears stopped and she lifted her head, Edelgard kissed her.

“Will you join me for a bath, my love?” Edelgard asked. “I’ve been desperate for a proper bath for days.”

Byleth nodded again, drying her face, and followed Edelgard away. The bath in their quarters was as grand as their bed, easily able to fit two people and let them soak all the way up to their shoulders. They bathed slowly, Edelgard scrubbing every inch of skin that she could reach as Byleth washed her back. When they switched, Edelgard’s hands were gentle on Byleth’s back, her fingers tracing idle shapes and patterns in the lather. As always, Byleth watched how Edelgard carefully washed and rinsed her hair before washing her own, and they sat in the steaming water once the bath had finished filling, leaning against each other.

“I missed this while you were away,” Edelgard murmured, resting her head on Byleth’s shoulder.

“Me too,” Byleth said, taking Edelgard’s hand under the water. “And just having a real bath.”

“I do not miss marching during the war,” Edelgard chuckled. “I’m glad the mission went well.”

“El,” Byleth said, “no work talk, please. Just for a while.”

“Of course. I apologize.” She hummed when Byleth turned and pulled her close, laying her head on Byleth’s chest. “I worry _you’ll_ have a terror tonight with how your nerves are, my love.”

“I thought I was going to lose you, El,” Byleth whispered. “I really did.”

“You didn’t. You _won’t_. We have so many things ahead of us. Things we’ve both only dreamed of before—all of it’s possible now.”

Byleth laughed weakly. “I didn’t expect you to be so eager about things when you’ve been on bed rest for so long.”

“Do not tempt me to show you the depths of my eagerness for life, Byleth,” Edelgard chuckled.

“What?” She went still when Edelgard kissed her, slowly melting into it. She put a hand under Edelgard’s chin as she deepened the kiss, but suddenly pulled away.

“El—”

“I’m fine, Byleth,” Edelgard murmured. “You won’t break me. I’ve waited for you to be mine again for weeks, and now that I see you, I want—”

Byleth kissed her again, even deeper than before. Edelgard hummed against her lips, opening her mouth when Byleth pressed on her chin. They came away breathless, overheated, and Byleth leaned down to kiss Edelgard’s throat.

“Byleth,” Edelgard said, hands trembling on Byleth’s shoulders, “will you take me to bed?”

“If we dry off first,” Byleth said, kissing her cheek. She stood and helped Edelgard to her feet, the two of them drying off as the bath drained. Once they were dry, Byleth lifted Edelgard into her arms and carried her to bed. She lay her down, sitting still with her hand over the new, faint scar over Edelgard’s heart.

“Is it strange to be happy to see this?” she asked, voice quiet.

“No,” Edelgard said, laying her hand on Byleth’s. “It’s the one scar I’m happy to see.”

Byleth said nothing, instead settling beside her to kiss the scar gently. She moved up to kiss Edelgard’s throat again, hands starting to roam across Edelgard’s body. Her fingers trailed along her sides and over her stomach, always featherlight. She lay her hands down over her ribs, bringing them up to cup her breasts. Edelgard’s breath hitched as Byleth took her nipples between thumb and forefinger, rolling and pinching until they hardened.

“Byleth,” she moaned, and the sound she let out when Byleth wrapped her lips around one nipple was weak, shaking, desperate. One hand she buried in Byleth’s hair, the other gripping her shoulder. The heat of Byleth’s mouth drove all thought from her, leaving her shivering where she lay. A whimper fell from her mouth when Byleth sucked, and another, sharper sound left her when Byleth brought a hand between her legs.

“My love,” she whispered, legs shaking as Byleth began to move her fingers in her wetness. “_Byleth_.”

“El,” Byleth groaned. She kissed Edelgard’s breasts, fingers moving slowly between her legs. An idea came to her, consuming her thoughts. She took Edelgard’s hand from her shoulder, lacing their fingers together as she moved lower. The kisses she pressed to Edelgard’s stomach made Edelgard fidget; the ones she pressed to her shaking thighs made her squirm.

“Byleth,” Edelgard said, gripping her hand, “_please_.”

She pressed her lips to Edelgard’s thigh and hummed softly. The scent of her from so close was enough to make her heady. The first taste of her as she pressed her tongue flush against her was enough to leave her dazed, so sweet and so rich. She guided Edelgard’s legs over her shoulders before starting to lap at her.

Each long pass of her tongue made Edelgard shiver. Humming against her made her gasp, made her whimper “_Byleth_” as she gripped her hand. Dipping her tongue into her made Edelgard keen, hips rocking toward her.

There was no haste in Byleth’s movements, no impatience in Edelgard’s. Edelgard stroked Byleth’s hair, a blush and a blissful smile on her face as she watched Byleth move between her legs. Byleth caught her looking and smiled in turn. She held Edelgard’s gaze as she licked her, as she gently pushed two fingers into her, chuckling because Edelgard’s blush darkened to crimson. Edelgard held her gaze as long as she could as Byleth began to rock her fingers in and out, but her head fell back as she let out a throaty moan.

“_Byleth_,” she groaned. “Byleth, I—_ah_!”

Byleth hummed, pushing her fingers in deep. Tongue circling Edelgard’s clit, she squeezed her hand hard. Edelgard came with a cry, every muscle tensing. It left her shaking and limp on the bed, and she let out one last moan when Byleth drew her fingers out. She came down slowly, Byleth moving to lay beside her and playing with her hair. Edelgard looked at her, laughing quietly at the wetness on her face, and pushed Byleth onto her back.

“You like being on top of me,” Byleth said with a smile as Edelgard moved to sit on her hips.

“I like seeing you like this when we make love,” Edelgard murmured, running her fingertips over Byleth’s lips. “It’s a part of you only I get to see.” She kissed her, face burning as she tasted herself. She brought her hands to Byleth’s breasts, playing with them to see Byleth go red. The sound of Byleth’s faint whine when she pinched her nipples made her chuckle.

“You’re so tempting when I know you’re this sensitive,” Edelgard said. “Every so often I think of what it would be like to _have_ you in my office.”

“Your—_what_?”

“On my desk, my love.” She leaned down to bite Byleth’s neck, kissing where she’d bitten, and in her ear murmured, “Or in some secluded corner of the palace just out of sight. I would love to hear your voice everywhere. To hear you calling my name.”

“El,” Byleth said weakly. She moaned when Edelgard moved down to suck on her nipples, one after the other, back and forth. Edelgard pushed one leg between Byleth’s and rocked against her, drawing a louder moan from her.

“_El_!” she said, holding Edelgard’s hips tight. “Please don’t stop!”

“Of course not,” Edelgard said. She put her hands down above Byleth’s shoulders, rocking her leg hard and fast. The sound of Byleth moaning, the sight of her face red with pleasure, made her chuckle.

“You’re so beautiful, Byleth,” she murmured. She ran her fingers through Byleth’s hair, humming when Byleth leaned into her touch. “I missed you terribly.”

Words were beyond her then, mind in a haze from the heat all through her, and so Byleth only nodded. She rocked against Edelgard’s leg, panting and moaning sound that might’ve been Edelgard’s name. Her breathing quickly grew uneven, her body shaking from head to toe. Edelgard watched her unravel and, smiling, leaned down to bite her neck in time with rubbing hard and fast with her leg. It pushed Byleth over the edge, drawing a final cry of “_Edelgard_!” from her as she came.

Edelgard lay beside her as she came down, kissing her gently, sweetly while she caught her breath. After a time, Byleth laughed faintly and rolled onto her side to gather Edelgard to her.

“I love you,” she whispered, hiding her face in Edelgard’s hair. “I do, El. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, Byleth,” Edelgard whispered in turn. “I said it to you every day you were gone. I missed you so much.”

“I’m home,” Byleth murmured. “And so are you.”

Edelgard laughed and kissed her. “I suppose I finally am, my love. I’m glad to be.”

Grinning, Byleth kissed her again and again, and soon she rolled Edelgard onto her back to continue what they’d started.

————

Though it had been her intention to arrive at the classroom early, Byleth stepped inside to find her students already at their desks. A vase with a bouquet of flowers was on her own desk, and the grins on their faces when they saw her spoke to where the flowers had come from.

“Welcome back, Professor!” Maxsim said with a laugh. “Miss us?”

“I did, actually,” she said with a smile. “Thank you for your patience and discretion during all of this.”

“How are her majesty and Miss Lysithea doing?” Lenci asked.

“They’re well. They’re recovering very quickly.” To Henryk, she said, “It looks like you’re recovering just as fast.”

“I am,” he said. “I was able to spar with Ana for a while yesterday.” He sighed and, looking at Anahid, said, “One of these days I’m actually going to catch you in a hold.”

“You can try,” Anahid said, smirking at him.

Byleth saw how Henryk rolled his eyes with a smirk of his own, and she said, “I haven’t gone through all the assignments your interim professors sent to me, but all of them praised your work. And there were two professors thanking you, Anahid, for keeping a class in line.”

Anahid went red. She said, “No, I should’ve apologized to them, I spoke out of turn.”

Maxsim snorted with laughter. “You told people to shut up and train properly when they wouldn’t stop arguing about something stupid and the professors were happy you did.” He pointed at Anahid with his thumb as he looked at Byleth, saying, “It was actually pretty funny. She barked out that line you gave us on our first day of practical training—the thing about having energy to fight if you’re bickering—and they shut _right_ up.”

“All the authority training is producing results, then,” said Byleth. “Good.”

Still red in the face, Anahid nodded. She managed a smile when she glanced at Lenci and saw her bright grin.

“Now then,” Byleth said, “you all remember what I said about class certification tests, correct?”

“Yes ma’am,” they chorused.

“We did a little research on our own about the beginner classes,” said Lenci.

“Did you?” Byleth asked, smiling slightly with one brow raised. “Then tell me which classes I plan on having you test for.”

“Fighter,” said Maxsim.

“Correct. Anahid?”

“Myrmidon,” she replied.

“Also correct. Lenci?”

“Monk, Professor?”

“Yes. And Henryk?”

“I thought it would be myrmidon,” he said, “but now I’m wondering if it’ll be soldier with how much lance training we did before we went to Hresvelg.”

“The soldier test will be more difficult with your lower level of experience with lances,” Byleth said, “but we can make up for that with focused study in the next two weeks. This is a step toward a cavalier class for you. Which reminds me,” she said, looking at Maxsim, “we need to get you fitted for armor.”

His eyes widened. He asked, “Are we starting heavy armor training?”

“We are.”

“_Yes_!” he laughed, clapping his hands together. “Thank you, Professor!”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “Anahid, we’ll be focusing on more complex sword techniques, and Lenci, we’ll focus on your authority for a while.”

“Not reason or faith?”

“Anahid will help you with those.”

“What?” Anahid and Lenci said in unison.

“Before, you were working with the person you’d have the most trouble with to start overcoming your weaknesses,” said Byleth. “Now, you’re going to work with someone who can help you refine a talent. Henryk, Maxsim, this puts you together to train up in the lance and heavy armor. Anahid and Lenci, you’re together to improve each other’s magic. Lenci, there are nuances you can show Anahid, and there are things Anahid does that you’re not familiar with.”

They looked at each other, smiling tentatively.

“This is with the expectation that you’ll focus on your work and not just on each other, though.”

They went red, Lenci stammering, “That’s—not—Professor, of course we’ll focus!”

“Good. Now, let’s go to the training hall.”

“So early in the morning, Professor?” Henryk asked as the students stood.

“I want to see how all of you have been progressing after not sparring with you for a while,” she replied, leading them away. “And it gives me an opportunity to loosen back up.”

The training hall was empty and quiet when they arrived, all of them taking weapons from the racks and starting to stretch. Byleth watched the students, pleased to see their early morning stiffness leaving them quickly. When they turned to face her, she nodded at Maxsim.

“You first today,” she said. “The rest of you move back, please.”

They obeyed, Maxsim taking up a two-handed stance with his axe low to the ground. Byleth turned her sword in her hand, raising it and nodding once more. She moved first, dashing forward to swing at his side. He blocked with the blade of his axe, pushing her back with force enough to make her skip back to keep balance. He lunged forward in turn, keeping his overhanded swing low and fast enough that she could not strike at his chest.

She parried instead, knocking the axe down and into the floor. The force behind the swing drove the blade deep into the dirt, and Byleth quickly turned her sword to aim another blow at his side. She caught sight of his grin, but did not pull her hit. She let him grab her wrist, seeing his knees bend in preparation for a tackle. Before he could charge, she let go of her sword, twisted in his grasp, and flipped him over with his own momentum adding to the throw.

He wheezed when he hit the ground, laying dazed. When he recovered, he coughed a laugh.

“Dammit,” he said with a smile. “Still not fast enough.”

“Once we get you in armor, it’ll be much harder to throw you,” Byleth said, helping him to his feet. “Tackles are a good move in armor as long as we can make sure you stay on your feet or get up quickly.”

“Right,” he said. “More pushups and running for me?”

“Correct.” She patted his shoulder and said, “Good job.”

Maxsim grinned and moved back when Byleth gestured to Henryk. He came close, rolling his shoulders and spinning the lance in his hands. His stance was standard, head of the lance low to the ground, but he was entirely steady and sure. Byleth nodded, raising a guard, and let him move first.

Henryk stepped in, striking high with a thrust. When she parried, knocking the lance up and away, he stepped in further and brought the end of the lance up in another blow. His aim was her hand on the hilt of the sword, but she swung hard to parry again. He followed up with a downward swing of his own, the lance’s head coming close to Byleth’s brow as she dodged back. Keeping the lance’s head high, Henryk stepped in with a series of thrusts aimed at her chest and shoulders.

Byleth blocked and parried each strike, eventually riposting to start a chain of blows of her own. He blocked her attacks, but with less skill. She saw him slowing, a trace of pain on his face, and stepped back slightly with her guard raised high. He swung low at her feet; she stomped down on the lance to stop his motion completely. She did not lift her foot, instead raising a hand.

“Professor?” Henryk asked, out of breath.

“I don’t want to knock you down today,” she said. “You still need to recover more.”

“Right,” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Thank you, Professor.”

“Well done,” she said, patting his shoulder. She gestured to Lenci then, putting her sword on her belt. “This’ll be a magic-only spar, Lenci. We’ll stop focusing on the bow.”

“Really?”

“It’s to prepare for your certification, but I did have a chance to read Dorothea’s report from Hresvelg. She said you used magic almost exclusively.”

“O-oh.” She went dark red, stammering, “I just—I did mean to—I meant to use my bow—my teachers always lectured me about relying on magic too much, so I—”

“Lenci,” Byleth said, “you know your magic is far more powerful than a bow, don’t you?”

Her blush darkened even further. “Magic—it’s less—offensive magic is unbecoming of a noblewoman.”

Byleth raised a brow, seeing how Anahid frowned when Lenci looked down. The frowns on Maxsim and Henryk’s faces made her stay quiet and wait.

“Lenci,” Anahid said, “magic is becoming of _you_. That’s what matters.”

“Thank you, Ana,” Lenci said quietly, but she did not look up.

“Focusing on magic will get you ahead in the academy,” Byleth said. “And there’s no reason to _not_ focus on it when it’s your greatest strength. That’s the route I’m planning for you, so what anyone else thinks about how it reflects on your status is irrelevant.”

She smiled slightly, looking up, and said, “Thank you, Professor.” She returned her bow and quiver to a weapon rack, stretching her hands as she came back.

“Wind only,” Byleth said. “No Fire or Miasma.”

“You can use _Miasma_ now?” Maxsim asked, brows raised.

Lenci’s blush had started to fade, but it returned full force as she stammered incomprehensible sound. Eventually, she managed to say, “I found a book that went over how to cast it and how it works—I was just curious and I tried it and—”

“It impressed Dorothea when she saw you use it,” said Byleth. “We’ll practice it on training dummies later. For now, Wind only.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“But take a deep breath and calm down first,” she chuckled.

“R-right. I’m sorry.” She took several deep breaths, rubbing her face to force the blush away. Once she had calmed, she lifted her hands. Byleth did the same, both of them waiting. Byleth saw Lenci’s hands flex and leaped to one side. The Wind casting slammed into the floor where she had once stood, throwing dirt high in the air. Byleth threw a casting of her own, forcing Lenci to duck to avoid it.

Lenci’s next casting was thrown with both hands, aimed at Byleth’s feet. A quick jump brought her over the casting, but Lenci had already thrown another at her. It caught her full in the chest, sending her tumbling across the floor. She gathered magic in both hands as she took to her feet, but she hesitated in throwing it when she heard running footsteps. She looked up, seeing Lenci running at her with magic in her hands. Focus in her eyes, Lenci reached out and grabbed Byleth’s hands before she could jump away or draw back.

A crack sounded from their hands, the force of the magic rebounding into Byleth and knocking her flat on her back. Feeling as though every bone was vibrating, Byleth sat up slowly. Her hands were bright red, steaming, and twitching. When she looked at Lenci, she found her hands were without such problems. Lenci stared at her, pale with shock.

“I’m sorry,” Lenci said.

“Is that what you meant to do?”

“Yes, but—but not that hard! I didn’t think it’d knock you down like that!”

Byleth stood, minding her hands, and asked, “You don’t feel any after effects? No physical sensation like shaking?”

“No, Professor. Here, let me see your hands.” She began to heal Byleth’s hands, red with shame.

“That was reckless,” said Byleth, “but effective. If you tried it with a different kind of magic—like Fire—I think you could easily incapacitate your opponent. We’ll have to think of how to practice it safely.” She raised a brow and asked, “What possessed you to try that?”

“Static,” Lenci mumbled.

“What?”

“I don’t get shocked by static,” she said. “And one day last week Max pretended like I really shocked him with static.” Sounding equal parts miserable and thoughtful, she said, “So I thought maybe I could do something similar with magic.”

Byleth thought, rubbing her hands together when they were healed. She said, “I’ll ask Lysithea about this and if she’s ever tried it in or out of combat. If anyone has insight on how to make it effective, it’s her.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“Why would I be mad about you being creative with your tactics? Being predictable gets you killed.”

“But I hurt you. You’re still twitching.”

“I’m fine,” Byleth said, patting her head. “You didn’t hurt me that badly. But the twitching does mean we have to stop practical work short.”

“Sorry,” Lenci said, eyes on Anahid.

Anahid smiled and said, “Can’t be helped. It’s okay, Lenci.”

“Come on, weapons back on the racks,” Byleth said. “We’ll start with gambit techniques back in the classroom.”

They moved to obey, Anahid putting an arm around Lenci’s shoulders as they made their way back to the classroom. The sight of a messenger outside the classroom made all of them pause.

“Ah, Lord Regent!” the man said with a smile. “Her majesty said to wait here if you were away!”

“Her majesty sent you?” Byleth asked. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said, offering a sealed envelope. “Her majesty was smiling when she gave me this.” He gave her an impromptu salute before heading off, and Byleth gestured for the students to go inside. She broke the seal on the envelope as she closed the door behind them, squinting at the tight handwriting on the paper. She rubbed her eyes, held the paper away slightly, and read as she went to the front of the classroom.

“Oh,” she said. “It’s actually about you four.”

“It’s about us from her majesty?” Henryk asked.

“And the ministers. Her majesty wants to thank you, Henryk, and Count Bergliez wants to speak to you about my recommendations.”

“To _us_?” Maxsim asked. “Not you?”

“It’s summoning you four to the council hall tomorrow,” said Byleth. “I’ll be there as lord regent, not as your professor.”

“When do we need to be there?” Anahid asked.

“Nine o’clock. It’ll take up the morning, but we should be able to work in a tactics lecture in the afternoon if I can keep the meeting moving.”

“Do we need an escort in the palace?” Henryk asked.

“No, this letter will be enough. Tell any guard you’ve been summoned and they’ll lead you to the council hall.”

“I can hold onto the letter, Professor,” Anahid said. To the others, she said, “And we’ll meet outside the palace at ten to nine?”

“Y’know, if you weren’t so good at it, I’d be annoyed at you taking lead all the time,” Maxsim said. Smirking, he added, “But it makes my life easier, so thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Anahid said, smirking back as Byleth handed her the letter.

————

The lord regent’s chair in the council hall was one Byleth still hadn’t gotten used to, stiff and ornate as only a seat of power could be. She did not fidget, aware of Edelgard’s gaze on her, and only turned to look at her once as a servant went toward the main door. Edelgard smiled at her and nodded toward the door, sending her gaze forward. Lysithea, sitting in the benches, grinned and lifted a hand in silent greeting.

The students were led into the hall, all of them in their dress uniforms and all doing their best to not look nervous. They stopped before the ministers’ tables and bowed when their names were announced.

“I thank you for coming,” Edelgard said. “I know this is disrupting your classes, so we will be as expeditious as possible. Henryk von Marcin.”

“Yes, your majesty?” He straightened his back when Edelgard gestured to the others and they moved to sit down.

“I wanted to thank you personally,” she said. “If Professor Hanneman and Viscount Hevring had needed to search for someone to willingly give up their crest, there’s no telling how long it would have taken to find someone or what that time would have done to me or Viscountess Ordelia. To repay this, I will grant you a request.”

He took a quick breath, but hesitated. He faltered and looked down.

“As long as it is within reason, I will grant it,” Edelgard said. “Please, speak and be honest.”

“A…sword,” he said at length. He glanced at Byleth, saw her raised brow, and hurried to add, “Not for combat, your majesty. My parents have always admired the arms borne by Adrestia’s imperial knights, and I thought—perhaps a sword would be a better heirloom for our family than a crest?”

Edelgard smiled at him and nodded, saying, “I will have our finest blacksmith begin work immediately. If there are any designs you would like added to it, please tell him and his apprentices and it will be done.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” he said, bowing deeply.

“Now then, young man,” Ervin said. “I know you know who I am.”

“Yes sir, Count Bergliez,” Henryk said, straightening up to stand at attention.

“The lord regent has recommended you for a leadership position in the new divisions,” said Ervin. “What do you have to say in your own support? And do not list out your various strengths in combat. What will make our soldiers obey you?”

Henryk was quiet as he thought. After a time, he said, “I would show them that my thoughts and actions are with them and their best interests in mind, sir.”

“Explain.”

“If there is one thing I’ve learned so far at the academy, it’s that you can’t lead _well_ if you aren’t willing to take the same steps as your soldiers. You have to lead by example, as the lord regent does with our class. That is how I intend to lead, sir.”

“I see,” Ervin said, jotting down a few notes. “Thank you, Marcin. If you’ll sit.” After Henryk had bowed and sat down with the others, Ervin said, “Maxsim Stesha.”

Maxsim stood quickly and moved to where Henryk had been standing. Bowing, he said, “Yes sir?”

“Tell me why you think you would be the best pick of your class for a leadership position.”

He squared his shoulders and said, “I can’t, sir. I’d be lying if I said I thought I was best.”

“Then how would you keep your division’s faith in you?”

“By being honest with them about everything and never letting them get tied in a knot when they think we’re in a pinch. There’s always a better way to look at a bad situation, sir, and my example to lead by is keeping my eye on the better way.”

“I see,” Ervin repeated, jotting another set of notes. “Thank you, Stesha. Please take a seat. Lenci von Tibor.”

Lenci took a deep breath as she stood and came forward, bowing when Maxsim was seated.

“How would you keep a rowdy group of soldiers in line, Tibor?” Ervin asked.

“Order them to separate tasks and speak to them privately, sir,” Lenci said. “There’s a reason they’re acting out of turn and it’s my responsibility to get them listening to me. I’ve found one-on-one talks do that best.”

“And if you had no time for that? Say your soldiers were shaken by a loss and you were marching in retreat.”

“I’d march alongside them so I could listen to them. You can’t lead if you don’t bother to listen, even if you’re the person in charge.”

“I see,” he said again, jotting more notes. “Thank you, Tibor. Please sit down.” He turned to Anahid, saying, “And you, Anahid Vartan.”

Anahid stood, moved to stand before the ministers, and bowed.

“What makes an officer position so important to you, Vartan?” Ervin asked. “Why do you want this?”

“To be better than where I came from, sir,” Anahid replied. “To serve a greater cause like her majesty’s goals confers no greater honor.”

“And what would you say to the people who might call you a boot-licker for that kind of statement?”

“Let them say it,” Anahid replied, voice unwavering. “My loyalty is to her majesty and the world she’s building. I won’t veer from this path, and I can only hope that I can show my loyalty is worthwhile in whatever role you assign me.”

“I see,” said Ervin, jotting down a last set of notes. “Then—”

“Excuse me.”

They turned, Anahid stepping back slightly, as a guard led a woman in healer’s robes forward.

“Begging your pardons,” the guard said, “but she says she’s here with news from Professor Hanneman.”

“We are not expecting news from Professor Hanneman,” Hubert said, an edge in his voice. “And certainly not news to interrupt this meeting.”

The guard looked at him blankly. He started to look at the healer. His eyes rolled back in his head as he dropped dead on the floor.

Byleth saw the dark magic building on the woman’s right hand as the guard started to fall. She began to stand to shield Edelgard, hearing Hubert stringing together warding spells. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lysithea taking to her feet, the light of Thoron on her fingertips.

Before anyone could complete a casting, Anahid moved in a blur of speed. She grabbed the woman’s hand with both of hers, her own hands awash with Fire.

An almighty crack sounded from their hands, Anahid being flung to the floor as the woman screamed in pain. Her hand was burned from wrist to fingertip, skin cracking and bleeding at every tiny movement. She whirled on Anahid, raising her left hand, but Maxsim was already on her. He smashed his fist into the back of her head, sending her unconscious to the floor as Hubert sprinted to them. He bound the woman’s in inhibitor manacles, scowling because illusory magic broke apart to show the woman’s unnaturally pale skin and white hair.

“An Agarthan assassin,” he said. “Your majesty, please go—”

“Oh goddess, _Ana_!” Lenci screamed.

He turned to look, and what he saw made him grab Lenci as she tried to run to Anahid.

“Do not touch her,” he said, “unless you know how to break a curse. Lysithea, I need your assistance, quickly!”

Lysithea went to them, Byleth following with Edelgard close behind. Limp on the floor was Anahid, her hands broken and flayed, and black flames were carving out more lines in her flesh in a steady advance up and past her wrists. The fire quickened when it reached her forearms, starting to burn away her sleeves. Lysithea quickly took hold of her elbows and murmured under her breath. The flames began to lessen and soon were extinguished. Anahid lay there, bleeding badly with her eyes unfocused.

“Summon healers,” Edelgard said to Hubert, “Only from the team who tended Lysithea and myself—one of them must know how to break curses.”

“At once, Lady Edelgard,” he said, and he set off quickly.

“Don’t touch her while you heal her,” Lysithea said, still holding Anahid’s elbows as she looked at Byleth. “All I’m doing is suppressing the curse.”

Byleth nodded, looking at Lenci as she said, “You heal her right hand. I’ll take her left.”

“Yes ma’am,” Lenci said, voice shaking but hands steady. She and Byleth knelt down, holding their hands over Anahid’s. Her bones began to reset, skin coming back together. She did not stir, utterly silent. Scarring was left behind on her hands, the flaying too severe to allow otherwise, but her skin went black as soot instead of pale. Anywhere the black flames had touched on her arms scarred black as well, and they all stared when Byleth and Lenci took their hands away.

“Ow,” Anahid said distantly.

“Ana, do you hear me?” Lenci said. “Don’t move okay? Healers are coming.”

“O…kay.”

“That was meant for me,” Edelgard murmured. “And I’m sure it could have killed me if it reached me.” She sighed, kneeling down next to Byleth and looking at Anahid. “You have done something very reckless, but I am grateful for what you’ve done. Thank you.”

Dazed and hazy, Anahid nodded slightly. They waited for Hubert and the healers, Maxsim and Henryk coming close to put their hands on Lenci’s shoulders. When the healers arrived, Maxsim helped Lenci to her feet and Henryk guided her back a few steps. Two healers took Lysithea’s place holding Anahid’s elbows, another moving to kneel at her hands. The spell he cast brought dark light to his hands, and he lay his hands on Anahid’s forearms. Slowly, he brought his hands down her arms and over her hands, the dark light flickering and crackling as he went. Only when the light stopped flickering did he lift his hands, and he wiped sweat from his brow as he sighed.

“Miss Lysithea, you suppressed the curse?” he asked. When she nodded, he said, “Thank you. If it reached her heart, I don’t think I could’ve broken it properly.”

“Is this the kind of assassin we should expect?” Melis asked. “Ones with curses powerful enough to do this?”

“That is what we should prepare ourselves for, yes,” Edelgard replied. “And not just myself. Count Bergliez, please assign knights as guards for yourself and the other ministers.”

“And for you, your majesty,” Byleth said. “You can’t take a risk like that now.”

“I won’t,” Edelgard said. “Knights will be assigned to the both of us.”

“It will be done, your majesty,” Ervin said.

“Thank you,” said Edelgard. Turning to the healers, she said, “Take her to the infirmary to continue treating her. Lord Regent, if you will accompany her and your students, I will be along shortly.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Byleth said, bowing to her.

“All right, up you get,” Maxsim said. He lifted Anahid onto her feet before picking her up entirely. He nodded to the healers, following their lead out of the hall with Byleth, Henryk, and Lenci following close behind. Byleth raised a brow at each servant and guard they passed, who all bowed deeply in response. They reached the infirmary quickly, Maxsim setting Anahid in a bed so two healers could tend to her arms.

“Thanks, Max,” Anahid mumbled.

“While I’m grateful you stepped in to help her majesty,” Byleth said, “I want to know why you did something as reckless as that when you know your magic isn’t as powerful as Lenci’s.”

Mumbling, words slurring as though she were drunk, Anahid said, “Because I’m pointless if I don’t produce results. So I just moved.”

“‘Pointless,’” Byleth repeated.

“Mm. It’s fine.”

“Vartan,” Henryk said through grit teeth, “I would hit you right now if you weren’t already hurt. That is _not_ fine and you’re an ass for saying it is.”

“Stop,” Byleth said. “You’re not arguing with each other now. Anahid, we’ll be discussing your goals at the end of the week. Pointlessness is not part of what I’m planning for you.”

“Yes, Professor.” She did not turn at the sound of footsteps, but the others did to find Edelgard, flanked by two knights.

“Hubert is dealing with the assassin,” Edelgard said to Byleth. “If there are any other assassins in Enbarr, he will find them.” She gave Byleth her hand, kissing her knuckles once Byleth had kissed hers. She went to Anahid then, waiting until she looked up.

“What you did was brave,” Edelgard said, “but it was dangerous and foolhardy. While I am grateful to you, I must ask that you do not risk your life in such a way again. I do not want to see the people of Fódlan put themselves in danger like that.” When Anahid nodded, looking morose, Edelgard looked to the healers and asked, “Will she make a full recovery?”

“Yes, your majesty,” one healer said. “Her hands will be unsteady for the next few days, but they were healed quickly enough to avoid permanent damage. The scarring, though…we can’t change how that looks.”

“It’s fine,” Anahid mumbled. “As long as my hands work.”

“It’s fortunate that they will,” Edelgard said. “Because you will have to pass a certification test in order to secure a leadership position in the new divisions. That is Count Bergliez’s condition for you four.”

The students looked at her blankly. After a moment, Lenci asked, “He’s giving us a chance?”

“He is. I ask that you rise to the challenge.”

“We will, your majesty,” Maxsim said.

“Ow,” Anahid hissed as the healers began to bandage her hands and arms.

“Just for today and tomorrow,” one healer said. “To make sure everything has a chance to close completely.”

“All right.” She looked at Lenci, but hesitated.

“I’ll help you with them,” Lenci said. “Don’t worry.”

“We’ll walk her back to the dormitories, Professor,” Henryk said. “You don’t have to worry about us.”

“All right,” said Byleth. “We’ll start late by an hour tomorrow, so all of you go rest.”

“Yes ma’am,” they chorused, Anahid slightly out of sync.

“Lord Regent, if you could follow me,” Edelgard said.

Byleth nodded and followed her out of the infirmary. Edelgard’s office was their destination, and the knights arranged themselves outside the door as they went inside. Edelgard sighed, rubbing her brow.

“Your students are following in your footsteps too closely, my love,” she said. “I know you were moving to stand in the curse’s path before.”

“El, I’m not going to stand by and let you get hurt,” Byleth said, “much less while you’re recovering from everything.”

“I am not asking you to shoulder my burdens, Byleth,” Edelgard said, putting her hands on Byleth’s face. “All I ask is that you take the same kind of care with your own safety as you keep asking of me with mine. I do not want to lose you for any reason.” She smiled wearily and said, “I’m not so sentimental that I would love you _more_ for a reckless act of nobility, you know. It’s not possible for me to love you more than I already do.”

“Have I been worrying you?” Byleth asked.

“Only because you’ve had no concern for yourself since I woke,” Edelgard said, running her thumbs over her cheek. “The first night I was back in our quarters was the only time I could tell you slept well in the last several days, and you were still awake and anxious before me.” She rocked up on her toes to kiss Byleth gently, and she said, “Even though I did my best to wear you out to sleep.”

“I’m trying, El,” Byleth sighed, putting her hands over Edelgard’s. “I don’t want to do something stupid, but when I think about you when you were sick, I can’t stop worrying.”

“I fear you’ll be a nervous wreck about our daughter,” Edelgard chuckled. She kissed Byleth again, smiling because Byleth leaned down to follow her for another kiss. “My strength is returning, my love. Have faith in me and those around us, and please be more cautious now.”

“You’re not going to tell me to relax?” Byleth asked with a small smile.

“That will come tomorrow night at the party the Eagles are throwing for us. And as a warning, Caspar is very determined to see you drunk.”

“What about you?”

“I have my health as an excuse to _not_ drink,” Edelgard said, a pleased smile on her face.

“Well,” Byleth said, “I suppose that’s what you do at parties.” She thought. “I can’t remember the last time I drank anything.”

“You abstained at the ball and I never saw you drink at Garreg Mach, so it’s been quite a while.” She kissed Byleth again and said, “Tell me if you need me to make him stop pestering you.”

“I will,” said Byleth.

————

The party was thrown in the palace’s private dining hall, where Byleth and Edelgard took their meals and tea. It was the smallest dining hall in the palace, but still large enough to accommodate ten people and the food and drink that had been prepared for them. The fare was the finest the palace had: rich meats and fish, fresh breads and vegetables, and a selection of wine, whiskey, and brandy that made Caspar grin.

“To Edelgard and Lysithea!” he said, pouring glasses of wine for Petra, Linhardt, and Ferdinand. He looked at Bernadetta with a smile, nodded when she shook her head, and moved on to pour whiskey for himself and Dorothea. He ignored Hubert’s frown and poured a glass of whiskey for him as well. Byleth received a glass of brandy, and Caspar poured out water for Edelgard, Lysithea, and Bernadetta before returning to his seat.

“Cheers!” they all said, raising their glasses in a toast.

Byleth brought her glass to her nose to smell the brandy. The scent of it came to her in an instant, rich with fruit. It tasted of fruit when she sipped it, but the sweet tang was quickly replaced with a faint, pleasant burn that spread through her. She considered it all, nodded, and took another drink before setting the glass down to eat.

“It’s like you’re at a tasting event, Professor,” Dorothea chuckled. “Was it to your liking?”

“I’ll drink it,” Byleth said, and she took a bite of fish.

“Dorothea, are you _also_ trying to get my fiancee drunk tonight?” Edelgard asked.

“If we can’t get _you_ a bit tipsy tonight, the professor’s the obvious choice.”

“I wish I could drink a bit,” Lysithea said. “Brandy sounds wonderful after so long.”

“You will be well enough for it before you even realize!” Ferdinand laughed. “Your recovery has been the most miraculous thing I have seen!”

“To Linhardt!” Petra said. “For helping to be making their good health possible!”

“Cheers!” was the response, and Caspar, grinning, nudged Linhardt with his elbow.

“Thank you, Linhardt,” Edelgard said. “We’re truly in your debt.”

He shrugged, but there was a smile on his face. “If you let me just study after we deal with those who slither, we’ll be even. And you should thank Hubert, while you’re at it.”

“Yes, to Hubert!” Ferdinand said, taking Hubert’s hand. “For all his hard work in making a miracle a reality!”

Hubert waved away the “Cheers!” they called for him, saying, “Lady Edelgard and Lysithea’s full recovery is all the thanks I need.”

“Still, thank you,” Edelgard said. “We owe you a great deal.”

“Can we stop talking about that now?” Lysithea asked, a weary smile on her face. “There are better topics of conversation.”

“M-maybe like the professor and Edelgard’s wedding?” Bernadetta said.

“Bernie, you read my mind,” Dorothea said, grinning. “Now, Edie, how much say do _we_ have in your wedding?”

“Much as though I’d like it to be a private affair, an emperor’s marriage is beholden to certain traditions,” said Edelgard. “It must be public, with a celebration in Enbarr similar to what we did for our engagement announcement.” She sighed. “People will be upset over us not being married by a priest of Seiros, but the last thing I will accept is their ‘blessing’ on my marriage.”

“Will you have the right to choose your dresses and your vows, at least?” she asked, refilling Byleth’s glass when she noticed it was empty.

“We will. And yes, you may help with the dresses, Dorothea. Within reason.”

“What kind of dress does one wear for a wedding in Adrestia?” Petra asked.

“Usually they’re red,” Dorothea replied. “Flowing, floor length gowns, with any embroidery being done in gold. Flowers are always popular designs.”

“Roses especially,” Edelgard said. “For royalty, sashes and wraps in gold and black are typical. The emperor always wears something with the image of the Adrestian eagle on it, and the peace-time crown is standard.”

“You have a different crown you could be wearing?” Caspar asked.

“Yes, similar to the one I was coronated in. The horned crown is generally worn during times of war or strife.”

“I would say it is time to retire that crown, Edelgard,” Ferdinand said, refilling his glass. “The people would take it as a sign of your devotion to peace.”

“No talk of business tonight, Ferdinand,” Hubert said mildly.

“Oh, of course, my mistake.” He thought, and then asked, “If the ceremony will not be presided over by a priest, who will marry you two?”

“That remains to be seen,” said Edelgard. “But the ceremony itself will have to be held in the palace’s main hall.” To Petra, she said, “Most royal wedding ceremonies are held outside, but with things as they are, staying inside will be safer.”

“We are usually having wedding ceremonies outside in Brigid, as well,” Petra said. “It has been my wish since I was small to be wed under a full moon in the summer. The world is perfect then for lovers.” She smiled at Dorothea and said, “You would look beautiful in red and gold in the moonlight, my heart.”

“And what would you be wearing, my dear?” Dorothea asked, smiling as she filled Byleth’s glass again.

“A dress of violet and gold, with finer jewelry than I wear now. We are always wearing our finest things to our weddings, and I have many things given to me when I was young to wear when I am married.”

“Would your dress be embroidered?”

“Not as it is here. There would be pieces of gold and silver strung along it, like lace.”

“It sounds lovely, Petra,” Dorothea murmured, taking her hand and looking at her with fondness enough to make Petra blush and smile.

“Then will you marry me?” Petra asked.

Dorothea froze. She stared. Petra, in turn, smiled and reached into her pocket. She stood, opening the clasp of a fine gold necklace adorned with emeralds to set it around Dorothea’s throat.

“I have been waiting for the fighting to stop before asking,” she said, “but I do not want to wait to ask any longer when there is so much happiness around us. Will you marry me, Dorothea?”

Dorothea continued to stare. “But—you’re next in line for the crown in Brigid. You’ll be queen.”

Petra looked at her blankly a moment before saying, “I will be, yes. And you would be queen as well. That is how things are done in Brigid.”

Dorothea went bright red. She stood quickly and kissed Petra thoroughly, setting their brows together when she pulled away. Sounding close to tears, she said, “_Yes_, I’ll marry you. But you _awful_ woman, not letting me know you would ask tonight!”

“It would have ruined the surprise,” Petra laughed.

“But then I could have gotten you a ring to match!” She kissed her again, finally starting to smile, and wrapped her arms around her neck. Because she saw Edelgard, smiling wryly at her over Petra’s shoulder, she laughed.

“Don’t worry, Edie,” Dorothea said. “I don’t think it’ll be possible to upstage your wedding, but we’ll be waiting to go to Brigid for ours anyway.”

“You will wait to go there?” Petra asked, grinning outright.

“Of course I will, my dear,” Dorothea replied. “I wouldn’t deprive Brigid of its queens’ marriage.” She kissed her again, both of them sitting, and asked, “What does the emperor’s fiancee wear, then, Edie?”

“Colors that suit her with red accents,” said Edelgard. “Byleth, I think—” She stopped short, blushing badly, when she looked at Byleth. The others followed her gaze, finding Byleth sitting with her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands, and smiling at Edelgard without a care for anything else in the room.

Edelgard looked at Byleth’s glass and found it completely empty. She looked at Byleth again, seeing her expression was equal parts smitten and awestruck.

“Byleth,” said Edelgard.

Byleth hummed.

“How much have you had to drink?”

She hummed again, eventually saying, “Enough.”

“Dorothea, how many times did you fill her glass?”

“Twice after Caspar. Rather full both times.” Giggling, she said, “Professor? Are you all right?”

Byleth hummed again and did not look away from Edelgard. She took a deep breath, sighed contentedly, and said, “You’re so pretty, El.”

“Got her drunk!” Caspar laughed, putting his fists in the air.

Edelgard almost frowned at him. She could not hold down her laughter, and she laughed wholeheartedly when Byleth almost tipped over and out of her chair reaching for her hand. The rest of the Black Eagles laughed in turn, and Byleth only had eyes for Edelgard for the rest of the evening.


	2. Measures of Impracticality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of an assassination attempt: determining how to move forward and what must still be healed.
> 
> Or, the ways of found families, the choices for people and names, and an ally returning to Enbarr with news from Garreg Mach.
> 
> (Explicit content warning for mid-chapter.)

“Fortunately,” Hubert told the ministers the day after the Black Eagles’ party, “the assassin was a lone operative. Her orders had been to kill her majesty if she was still alive at this time, and the council meeting was simply the easiest time and place to get to her.”

“I apologize, your majesty,” said Ervin. “Even if she was puppeteering the corpse of a guard to trick us, the men at the door should’ve stopped them there.” He looked to Byleth and asked, “How is Vartan doing?”

“Her hands are healed,” Byleth said, hangover pain pressing on the back of her skull, “but all of the students are acting strangely now. I can tell this incident shook them badly and I’ll be speaking to them individually tomorrow.”

“Lord Regent,” said Hubert, “are there any signs that the curse remains? Any pain while using magic or changes to the scarring?”

“She hasn’t used magic since as far as I know, but I’ll check tomorrow. And she’s doing everything she can to hide the scarring, so that’s hard to tell.”

“If you notice anything strange, please let me know,” he said. “I will continue with my line of questioning on the nature of this curse, but I doubt those who slither ever expected to have the curse stopped with a rebound like this.”

“I will,” said Byleth, nodding when he bowed to her.

“Were you able to take any other information from Thales or the assassin about where our foes _are_?” Ormand asked. “It is disquieting to keep being struck at from the metaphorical dark like this.”

“The assassin mentioned a ‘Shambhala,’ but I haven’t gotten either of them to elaborate. I will push them on that topic as well.”

“How has Enbarr responded to the news of the assassination attempt?” Edelgard asked.

“They are deeply upset, your majesty,” Melis said. “And though I don’t want to _capitalize_ on what happened to Vartan, they’re also upset about a student being harmed. ‘Indiscriminate killers,’ they’re calling those who slither.”

“The faithful are livid about a high level curse being used in the city,” Esfir said. “Singing the praises of Miss Lysithea and the healers for suppressing and breaking it, of course.”

“My friends,” Ferdinand said, “I think it is time we start making plans to move against our enemy so we may move out quickly when Marquis Vestra has information.”

“I second the motion,” Ervin said.

“Agreed,” said Melis, Esfir, and Ormand.

“Do you already have a plan in mind, Count Bergliez?” Byleth asked.

“Yes, working on the assumption that there are other places those who slither are using as strongholds and bases to create demonic beasts. The newer divisions would be paired with more experienced squadrons to handle threats near Enbarr, with our best reserves and the strike force in the wings for the final battle.”

“Then I second the motion as well,” she said.

“I give my support to the motion,” said Edelgard.

“Thank you, your majesty,” Ervin said. “Lord Regent, I will be calling on your expertise for this before long.”

“I’ll be glad to help,” she replied, tipping her head to him.

“I dislike the notion of us going back to war like this,” Melis said, “but it can’t be helped at this time. The sooner this is done with, the better.”

“Agreed,” Ormand said. “I would prefer to enact other reforms, or anything else more pleasant.”

“Speaking of preferring something pleasant,” Esfir said, turning to Edelgard. “Your majesty, I must ask you again to reconsider having a priest preside for you and the lord regent.”

“With all due respect,” said Edelgard, “I will choose who marries us and I do not intend for it to be one of the church’s priests.”

“With all due respect _back_, this is something the populace won’t abide by, not just the faithful. If nothing else, they want the emperor and empress wed with words from a servant of the goddess.”

Edelgard sighed, rubbing her brow. “I understand, but I will not have any of the old priests from Enbarr’s cathedral preside. I will choose someone else.”

“May I ask if you have anyone in mind? Such as summoning someone from another city?”

“No one currently. I will keep your concerns in mind, Baroness, I promise.” She looked to Hubert and asked, “When do you expect to have more to report on, Marquis?”

“In another three days,” said Hubert. “The assassin tends to get a little _fuzzy_ after that blow to the head from the Stesha boy.”

“Would that we lived in a time we didn’t need your talents so keenly, Hubert,” Edelgard said quietly, a weary, humorless smile on her face.

He bowed to her, saying, “And we may soon be in such a time. Until then, I will do what is needed.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. “Until then, I ask that we work on how to deliver news to other cities in light of potential spies from those who slither.”

“Countess Levni, I’ve an idea for a cipher in that regard, if I could work with you,” Ormand said.

“Gladly,” Melis said. “Baroness Darvish, Count Bergliez, Duke Aegir, if you would also assist?”

“Of course!” Ferdinand said. “Shall we adjourn to another location?”

“You can stay here, Duke Aegir,” Edelgard said, taking to her feet. “Something just came to mind and I need to look into it.”

“Will we have your help, then, Lord Regent?”

“I’m not going to be much help with ciphers today,” Byleth said, standing as well. “And I want to go to the academy to work on my backlog of assignments.”

“If only all professors were so diligent,” Ferdinand chuckled. “Then we shall reconvene in three days’ time.” The ministers bowed to them as they left, Hubert bowing as well before he went his own way.

“Will you be at the academy all day?” Edelgard asked.

“I will. I need to make some headway on the assignments I have to grade. I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

“Good,” she said, kissing Byleth’s ring. “But I ask that you take a moment to speak to Vartan if you see her today. I _can_ imagine what kind of thoughts are going through her head with how her hands and arms are now.”

“You’re right.” She sighed softly and said, “It’s a little early for lunch on a rest day like today, but I’ll go to the dining hall first to see if I can find her.” She kissed Edelgard’s ring, saying, “Thank you, El.”

She kissed Edelgard’s palm before they went their separate ways, a knight following each of them. The sight and sound of the knight behind her kept people from approaching her on the way to the academy, and she gestured for the woman to stand guard outside the dining hall as she went inside.

The hall was mostly empty, only a few tables occupied by a handful of students. Her gaze was drawn to a table in one corner, seeing three third-year students clustered around it. When one of them shifted, Byleth saw Anahid sitting at the table, tense as coiled wire. A frown growing on her face, Byleth moved closer and stood at a small distance, watching unnoticed.

“You actually going to fess up about what you did to your hands, Vartan?” one student asked. “We know it’s that idiot Tibor’s fault. You’re just taking advantage of being at the palace at the same time as the assassin to lie about it for her.”

“She can’t even cast _Wind_ right, I heard,” another said.

“She had nothing to do with this,” Anahid said, voice quaking for how hard her jaw was clenched. “It _did_ happen at the palace, when—”

“You tried to stop the assassin,” the third student said. “Uh huh. Look, just because you four have her majesty’s fiancee as your professor doesn’t mean we _buy_ what you’re saying.”

“Like that bit about you all meeting some of the strike force,” the first student said. “I’ll buy the professor taking you somewhere for _special_ training, sure, but that? No one’s going to believe you.”

“Now fess up,” the second student said. “It’s Tibor’s fault, right? I’m not working with her again if it’s because of her.”

Anahid said nothing. She flinched when the third student slapped the back of her head.

“Your superiors asked you a _question_, Vartan,” he said. “Or are you too special to answer?”

Byleth, anger pooling in her spine, strode forward and took hold of the young man’s collar. She pulled steadily to force him to walk backward, ignoring his yelp of fright, and glowered at the two other students. They jumped at the sight of her, rushing to stand with the third student as Byleth let him go. She moved to stand between them and Anahid, scowling at them.

“Raise your hand to my student again and I will see you expelled,” she said. “Similarly, if I hear that you’ve been spreading rumors that my students have lied about their accomplishments or how they were injured, I will be speaking to your professors about whether or not you’re officer material. Am I understood?”

They nodded rapidly.

“Then _leave_.”

They obeyed at once; the other students in the dining hall quickly looked away. Byleth turned to Anahid, who looked at her with hunched shoulders. She held her long sleeves down over her hands as far as they would reach; her lunch, a small sandwich, was mostly untouched. Byleth sighed and rubbed her brow.

“Have the staff wrap that for you and come with me,” she said. “We need to talk.”

“Yes, Professor,” Anahid said quietly, standing and taking her tray away. She returned shortly and followed Byleth out of the hall, her eyes on the floor as they walked. The knight stationed herself outside the classroom when they arrived, and Anahid went to sit at her desk as Byleth went to hers.

“Eat,” said Byleth. “We’ll talk when you’re done.”

“Yes ma’am.” As she ate, Byleth set to work grading essays on tactics. Headache spiking, she squinted at the students’ handwriting. As she often did, she started with Maxsim’s essay to squint less at his large, neat handwriting. His use of cavalry to flank archers and mages to safeguard flying units made her nod, even as she marked him down for not noting how the cavalry’s rear would be guarded.

_Remember to utilize your ranged soldiers_, she wrote in the margins. _They can provide openings_.

“Professor?”

She looked up. “Done eating?”

“Yes, but are you all right? You’re squinting constantly now.”

“I have a—wait, ‘constantly now’?”

“You’ve been squinting while you read our work,” Anahid said. “I noticed before we went to Hresvelg, but you’ve been squinting this entire time. Are your eyes all right?”

“They’re fine. I just can’t see things up close very well.”

Anahid stared at her. “Professor, that’s not ‘fine.’ You sound like you need glasses.”

Byleth looked at her blankly. She said, “My father was the same way and he didn’t have glasses.”

“He probably needed them, too. All of us have small handwriting aside from Max, so it might be better if you have glasses.”

She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck as she said, “I’ll look into it. But that’s not why I brought you here.” She stood and went to Anahid’s desk, holding out her hands. “Roll up your sleeves and let me see.”

Anahid hesitated. She pushed her sleeves up to her elbows and held out her hands for Byleth to take. The black scarring was broad over her palms and the backs of her hands, winding lines of black along her fingers. The scarring on her forearms was just as broad, coiling in her skin as the flames had, and stopped just below her elbows.

“Does it hurt at all?” Byleth asked.

“No, Professor.”

“What about when you use magic?”

Anahid went stiff.

“Does it hurt then?”

“N-no,”

“Why do you sound afraid? What happened when you used magic?”

Anahid closed her hands into fists. She looked at Byleth and waited until she let go of her hands before taking a deep breath.

“This happens when I cast Fire now,” she said. She opened her hands and cast the spell, and writhing black flames filled her hands.

Byleth stared at the flames, both brows raised. Quietly, she said, “I didn’t expect that.”

“What if my magic is cursed now?” Anahid asked, hands shaking as she let the flames fade.

“The fact that you can control it is a good sign that you’re all right,” said Byleth, “but I’ll ask Lysithea to visit and check on you.” She put a hand on Anahid’s shoulder, saying, “You don’t have to work with magic right now if you’re worried. It’ll be all right.”

“What if I hurt them?” Anahid asked, voice breaking. Her breath hitched when she inhaled; she put a hand over her mouth as her eyes grew wet. Her hissed “_don’t cry_” was just audible past her hand as she started to shake.

“Ana,” Byleth murmured, kneeling down to meet her gaze more easily. “Look at me. Breathe. It’s all right.” She moved her hand to Anahid’s head, patting gently as Anahid took several deep breaths and blinked the tears back.

“Sorry, Professor,” Anahid eventually said. “And thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Are you really worried you’ll accidentally hurt the others?”

“I am.” She looked down as she mumbled, “And I’m pretty sure they’re afraid of me now.”

“Why do you think that?”

“They’ve all been staring at my hands since the bandages came off. And they _were_ scared when I cast Fire in front of them after class yesterday.”

“I think you need to talk to them and not assume what they’re feeling.” She turned away when a knock sounded on the door, the knight calling, “Your excellency?” through it. “Hang on.”

She went to the door, opening it to find Lenci, Maxsim, and Henryk standing behind the knight. There was worry in their faces, and even her small smile did not assuage it.

“These are your students, your excellency?” the knight asked.

“They are,” said Byleth. “I assume you three are looking for Anahid.”

“We were hoping you’d have seen her if you were on campus today,” Henryk said.

“She’s been avoiding us,” Lenci said quietly.

“Come in,” Byleth said. “She’s here.” She stepped to one side to let them in, nodding to the knight before closing the door. She turned in time to see Maxsim pick Anahid up, set her forcefully on her feet, and hold her still for Lenci to hug.

“Don’t go hiding on us, you ass,” Maxsim said. “Made us think you were pissed at us.”

“N-no, I just—”

“Ana,” Henryk said, “we’re sorry if we upset you.”

“That’s not—I wasn’t—just—_wait_.” She pushed on Lenci’s shoulders until she stepped back, lifting her hands to them. “Are you saying you’re _not_ afraid of this?”

“Of course not!” Lenci replied. “They look like they hurt and we’ve been _worried_, Ana. We’ve been trying to find you all day to say we’re sorry for being startled by how your Fire looks now.”

Anahid went bright red. She looked at Byleth, saw her patient smile, and looked at the floor as she tried to pull her sleeves over her hands.

“No, stop that,” Lenci said, taking her hands. “You’re going to ruin your shirt.”

“Here,” Maxsim said, reaching into his pocket, “we thought you’d be bent out of shape about your hands, so we got you a present.”

Lenci made Anahid turn and hold out her hands. Maxsim set balled-up black cloth in her palms, and Anahid tentatively opened the cloth to find it was a pair of fingerless gloves.

“We couldn’t find ones that had fingers that weren’t silk,” Henryk said. “And I know silk won’t help you hold on to your sword.”

Silent, jaw clenched against the tremor they all could see building, Anahid pulled the gloves on. They covered all of the scarring on her hands up to her wrists and the starts of her fingers.

“Are they all right?” Lenci asked. She smiled when Anahid hugged her in response, and giggled when Maxsim hugged them both.

“C’mere,” Maxsim said to Henryk. “You missed out on this before.”

“All right, all right,” Henryk chuckled, and he went to hug them.

Byleth, standing by, watched them, thought of their first day, and smiled to herself when Anahid finally smiled and laughed.

————

“Edelgard,” Byleth said two days later on Sunday as they went into the city, “do you think I need glasses?”

Edelgard looked at her curiously, asking, “What’s brought this on?”

“My students think I need them. They said I was squinting when I read their work, and when I said I can’t see things up close very well, they said I should get glasses.”

Concern rose on Edelgard’s face. She said, “I’ve noticed you squinting while you read, but I thought you were concentrating. How bad is it?”

“I can see you clearly right now,” said Byleth, and she leaned closer until Edelgard’s features began to blur. “And now you’re fuzzy.”

“That’s rather close,” Edelgard said, considering the lack of distance between them. “But glasses may be prudent. Let’s stop to have your eyes looked at before our main task.”

“What _is_ our main task?” Byleth asked, offering Edelgard her arm.

“Finding someone to marry us,” Edelgard replied. “I remembered there was a priest in the palace when I was young who was a very skilled speaker. I watched her marry someone once before things happened, but she was no longer in the palace’s employ afterward. I heard she was actually excommunicated during the time I was in the kingdom.”

“You want an excommunicated priest to marry us?” Byleth chuckled.

“Depending on why she was excommunicated in the first place,” she said. “She works in Enbarr’s orphanage, but she wasn’t there two days ago.”

“Hopefully she’s there today, then.” She followed Edelgard’s lead to the optometrist in the middle of the city, unable to keep from frowning when the man diagnosed her as farsighted and set about fitting her for glasses.

“I can have them delivered to the palace in a few days’ time, your excellency,” he said. “I recommend you wear them when you read anything.”

“Not in combat?”

“Not with farsightedness, no.”

“I suppose that’s all right, then,” Byleth sighed.

“They suit you, my love,” Edelgard said to her when they left, taking Byleth’s arm to guide her once more.

“As long as I don’t have to wear them in combat,” Byleth said. “I don’t want to not be able to see a hit coming.”

“Are you still managing that trick where you stop a lance by stomping on it?”

“Yes.”

“Then I think your vision is still good enough for combat,” Edelgard chuckled. She squeezed Byleth’s hand and quietly said, “I want our daughter to see you in your glasses more often than not.”

“We’re getting there, El,” Byleth murmured, squeezing her hand in turn.

“We are,” Edelgard said, a smile on her face. She led Byleth on through the streets, their knight escorts keeping people back with hard glares alone. One knight stationed himself at the gates to the orphanage, Edelgard, Byleth, and the other knight continuing on. They heard the sound of children at play outside to one side of the building, Edelgard leading Byleth toward it.

They came to a broad, open yard filled with children of different ages playing at different games. Within seconds they were noticed, and some of the smallest children came directly to them to stare with a mixture of awe, suspicion, and general curiosity. A small boy reached out and tugged on Edelgard’s hand.

“Are you the emperor?” he asked.

“I am,” Edelgard said, crouching down to meet his gaze more evenly. “How did you guess that?”

“You got white hair,” he said, putting his hands in his own hair, “and you got a knight with you.”

“We heard Emperor Edelgard has really pretty white hair and purple eyes,” a girl slightly taller than the boy said, arms behind her back as she rocked on her heels. “And that she’s really pretty and has a pretty fee—fine—”

“Fiancee,” Edelgard chuckled.

“Uh huh.” The girl looked at Byleth and asked, “Are you her fiancee?”

“I am. My name’s Byleth Eisner.”

The children waved at her, some with trepidation, and all of them rushed to a woman who came toward them then. The woman was short, her shaggy brown hair shot through heavily with gray. She peered at them with green-blue eyes, thought clear in her face.

“Are you here for me?” she asked.

“That depends on if you’re Caitir Marrack,” Edelgard said, straightening up.

“Oh. Yes, that’s me.” She blinked a few times. “I’m sorry, I can’t pretend like I know why you’re here. How can I help you, your majesty?”

“To be direct,” said Edelgard, “I would like to know why you work here now instead of at the palace.”

“Ah.” She looked at the children and said, “Can you let me talk to her, please? It’ll be boring.”

“Yes, Miss Marrack,” they said, heading off for their games.

“So you mean why I was excommunicated,” Caitir said to Edelgard.

“I do.”

“Well,” said Caitir, rubbing her brow, “do you want the whole story, or the abridged version?”

“The whole story at some point, but the abridged version is fine for now.”

“I argued with the deacon about the righteousness of letting you be taken to the kingdom, got warned about it, went and got drunk, and went on a tear at the other priests in the palace because they didn’t seem to care about the fate of our princess. The excommunication came when I was ordered to repent for my behavior and I said I doubted the goddess would ever find them righteous and that she’d probably be disgusted with every single one of them.”

Byleth would not have been surprised to hear Sothis’ laughter in her ear then, and she smiled broadly.

“If you’re here to ply an apology out of me, your majesty,” Caitir said, “I’m afraid I can’t comply.”

“I’ve come for a different reason,” Edelgard replied. “I would like you to preside over my wedding to Lord Regent Eisner.”

Caitir looked at her. She blinked several times. She asked, “Are you entirely serious?”

“I am. I do not want a priest of Seiros to marry us.”

“So your solution is to get an excommunicated priest faithful to the goddess to do it?”

“It is, unless you have no desire to participate.”

Caitir laughed. “Your majesty, the _idea_ of getting to preside over your wedding gives me as much joy as one of the little ones getting adopted does. I would be honored. When are you planning on holding the ceremony?”

“In two months.”

“A summer wedding fits the two of you.”

“Thank you,” Edelgard said. “Messengers from the palace will bring more information, but I wanted to meet with you personally to ask this favor of you.”

“You honor me by doing so,” Caitir said, bowing to her. “Then I will wait for your next message, your majesty.” She smiled and added, “And start coming up with what to say, of course.”

“Of course,” Edelgard chuckled. “We’ll leave you to the children, then.”

Caitir bowed again, deeper than before, and crouched down to a small girl that came up as Edelgard and Byleth turned and started away.

“Yes, Adelaide?” was the last thing they heard from Caitir before they were out of earshot, and Byleth stared into the distance as they walked.

“Adelaide,” she repeated. She looked at Edelgard, ready to speak, but paused at the wistfulness on her face. “El? Are you all right?”

“I am,” Edelgard said. “It’s been ages since I heard that name, though.” She smiled slightly, softly, and said, “It was my eldest sister’s name. We would call her ‘Addy’ sometimes.”

“Does that mean you don’t want to name our daughter that?”

Edelgard startled, the wistfulness leaving her. She thought, and eventually said, “I hadn’t considered it at all, but…I would like that.” She smiled. “We’ll name her Adelaide.”

Byleth grinned, and the sight of it made Edelgard laugh.

“You look as if you’ve won something, my love,” she said.

“It’s nice finally knowing what her name is,” Byleth replied. “I haven’t been able to think of one at all.”

“It is nice,” Edelgard murmured. She sighed quietly, a warm smile on her face, and said, “Adelaide. Now I’m even more eager to resolve things.”

“Me too,” Byleth murmured, and she kissed Edelgard’s hand as they made their way back to the palace.

————

It only took one glance at her students’ assignments the following Wednesday evening while wearing her new glasses to make her wish she’d had them for years. The look of indignation on her face as she put on and took off her glasses to see the difference made Edelgard laugh aloud.

“I didn’t think my eyes were _this_ bad,” Byleth protested.

“Let me see them, my love,” Edelgard said. She took the glasses carefully, put them on, and took an assignment to read. “Without having my own frame of reference, I don’t think your vision is _terrible_, Byleth. But it will be better for you to wear these while you work.”

Byleth sighed as she took and put her glasses back on. She put a hand on her brow as she looked at different assignments. Quietly, she said, “Their handwriting actually looks different from each other’s now.”

Edelgard laughed again. She looked at the assignment again, saying, “Now I worry how much you struggled to read the Black Eagles’ assignments. I know Petra’s handwriting is lovely, but she’s the exception to the rule of how messy everyone’s handwriting could be.”

“You, Hubert, and Petra were the easiest to read,” Byleth said, starting to make notes. “Ferdinand tended to be difficult because his handwriting is extremely loopy.” She thought. “Linhardt and Bernadetta were worst, then Caspar, then Dorothea.” She looked at the assignments again and said, “I’m lucky their handwriting is neat.”

“This one especially,” Edelgard said, handing her assignment back.

Byleth looked at the name at the top of the paper. “Lenci’s. That doesn’t surprise me. She probably had penmanship lessons growing up.”

“How have they been this week?”

“Much better than last week. Lysithea is coming to check on Anahid tomorrow during the morning lecture.”

“Would it be too disruptive if I came as well? I would like to thank her for what she did now that she’s recovered.”

“It’ll be fine. It’ll probably help them socially.”

“How so?”

“There were third-years harassing Anahid when I found her last Friday. Apparently, people didn’t believe that she was injured helping you, or that they’ve worked with the strike force.”

Edelgard sighed and said, “Then I feel a greater desire to visit and put an end to that. Will that be all right?”

“It will. I’ll let them know you’re coming so they’re not too startled.” She looked up when Edelgard chuckled, asking, “What?”

“You look so studious,” Edelgard said. “The very image of a refined professor.” She reached out to set a hand on Byleth’s, saying, “You look very lovely, Byleth.”

“Are you attracted to me more now that I’m wearing glasses?” Byleth asked, smiling to tease.

“It’s not possible for me to be _more_ attracted to you, my love. But there is a certain charm your glasses lend you.”

“I’m glad. If they made me _less_ attractive to you, I’d have to get rid of them.”

“You act as though there’s anything that _could_ make me less attracted to you,” Edelgard chuckled. She stood and moved to stand before Byleth, guiding her to lean back in her chair. She left Byleth’s glasses on, putting a hand under her chin.

“The grading can wait until tomorrow, can’t it?” she asked.

“It can if there’s something you’d prefer to be doing.” She smiled when Edelgard raised a brow at her.

“You and your teasing, my love,” Edelgard sighed. She took Byleth’s face in hand and kissed her, holding her still when she drew back. “Will you ever stop teasing me?”

“Probably not. You’re cute when I tease you.” She chuckled at the way Edelgard frowned slightly.

“‘Cute’ is not necessarily befitting an emperor,” Edelgard said. “Perhaps I should remind you of my position _and_ yours.” She smiled at how Byleth went bright red. “Oh? Have I finally found the way to stop your teasing?” She leaned down, tilting Byleth’s head to one side to bite her neck.

“You won’t tease your emperor, will you,” she murmured in Byleth’s ear.

“N-no,” Byleth stammered. She gripped the arms of her chair when Edelgard bit her neck again, squirming at the way Edelgard began to casually unbutton her shirt. “El—”

“Shh,” Edelgard said, putting two fingers over Byleth’s mouth. “I do not want you saying a thing to me lest you fall into your teasing habits. I will let you know when you can speak.”

Byleth looked at her, a protest in her eyes, but went still when Edelgard raised a brow. She closed her mouth and nodded, shivering at the heated smile on Edelgard’s face.

“Good,” Edelgard murmured. “I’m glad you understand.” She continued to unbutton Byleth’s shirt, pushing it down her shoulders when every button was undone. She nodded at Byleth, humming when she silently took her shirt off.

“I will never tire of the sight of you,” Edelgard said. She trailed her fingers down Byleth’s neck, between her breasts, and scratching lightly over her stomach. The way Byleth twitched made her hum again. “Will you ever be used to my touch, my love?”

Byleth held her tongue, face burning. She took a quick, sharp breath when Edelgard dragged her nails back up her stomach, gripping the arms of her chair again.

“Careful,” Edelgard said quietly, pulling Byleth’s smallclothes down to expose her breasts. “I don’t want you breaking our furniture in the throes of passion.”

Byleth almost spoke to her, but bit her tongue to stop herself. She whined when Edelgard cupped her breasts, looking at her imploringly.

“You may make _noise_, my love,” Edelgard said. “I am not so cruel as to force you into silence.”

Byleth whimpered as Edelgard began to play with her breasts, rolling them in her hands and toying with her nipples as they hardened.

“Especially when I adore your voice.” She moved Byleth’s legs apart, bringing one of her own legs up onto the chair to press her knee against her. The needy sound that left Byleth made her smile. She leaned down to kiss her cheek, and then her neck. Smirking, she bit down on Byleth’s neck as she pressed her knee forward. Byleth’s startled gasp was quickly followed by a moan as Edelgard began to rock her leg against her. She keened when Edelgard took her hands from her breasts, exhaling shakily when Edelgard tapped her hands.

“Move your hands,” Edelgard murmured.

She did so reluctantly, closing her hands to shaking fists on her thighs. Edelgard kissed her cheek again and took hold of the chair’s arms.

“You may speak now,” Edelgard said, “but you may not touch me.”

Lost, Byleth could only think to nod. She whined when Edelgard began to rock her leg against her. For a moment, she lifted one hand as though she would reach for Edelgard’s shirt. The stern look Edelgard gave her made her stop short and set her hand back down.

“El,” she whispered. Her breath hitched when Edelgard rocked harder, moved faster. “_El_.”

“Only I get to hear you unraveling like this,” Edelgard said. “And only I get to see you like this.” She smiled. “Shall I describe the look on your face?”

“El, _please_—”

“I’ll keep going, my love,” she said, but she slowed down. Chuckling at the desperation in Byleth’s next moan, she said, “You look as though you don’t know up from down, Byleth. Like the smallest thing could push you over.” She kissed Byleth’s neck before biting it hard. Byleth jumped, a cry spilling from her mouth as her legs clenched around Edelgard’s.

“El—Edelgard, _please_!” Byleth said.

“Are you asking me not to tease you?”

“Y—please, don’t tease me!”

“Even though you tease me regularly?”

“I don’t—I don’t tease you in bed—_please_.”

“I will give you what you want,” Edelgard said, “one one condition.” She brought a hand up to Byleth’s chin, forcing her to look up at her. Quiet, the faintest tremor in her voice, she said, “You must look at me as you come undone, Byleth. From now until then.”

Byleth nodding, swallowing hard. She asked, “Can I touch you now?”

“If you mean to _tease_ me,” Edelgard said, a warning in her voice.

“N-no, just—” She reached up to set her shaking hands on Edelgard’s shoulders, hands closing in the fabric of her shirt. “—just this, El.”

“Very well,” Edelgard said. She kissed Byleth lightly, taking her leg away. The startled, yearning sound that Byleth made was more than enough to guide her hand down between her legs. As she sat on one of the chair’s arms, Edelgard tucked her hand down the front of Byleth’s pants, finding her wet and overheated.

“Eyes on me, my love,” she said as Byleth began to look down. She waited for her to look up before beginning to move her fingers. Byleth held her gaze as she touched her, blushing down to her chest and up to her ears. She squirmed, letting out breathy moans and whispers of “_El_.”

“The sight of you now,” Edelgard said, a blush starting to rise on her face, “is so tempting as to be unbearable.” She began to move her fingers faster. “If I had the option, I would keep you in our bed for a full day or more.” She brought her other hand to Byleth’s hair, tugging on it gently. “So I could learn every inch of you. Every sound you make as you yearn for me. How you _taste_, my love.”

“El,” Byleth said, trembling from head to toe. “Please—_please_!”

“I have you,” Edelgard murmured. “Let me see you.” She pressed hard and rubbed fast as Byleth’s voice broke, smiling as Byleth came hard and sobbed her name. She drew Byleth out as long as she could bear, only stopping her hand when Byleth whimpered.

“I have seen very few things as beautiful as your face just now,” she said, adjusting Byleth’s glasses. “Thank you.”

“El.”

“Yes, my love?”

“How wet are you?”

Edelgard went red, but said, “Very. Why?”

“I don’t want to wait to touch you.” She brought a hand up the back of Edelgard’s shirt to run her nails down along her spine. “Tell me I can touch you.”

“You may.” She startled when Byleth stood up, took her wrists in hand, and forced her to walk back to the nearest wall. She had no time to think of what to say before Byleth had started kissing her neck, had brought her hand under her pants. She moaned as Byleth rubbed at her, coating her fingers in her wetness. The moan she let out when Byleth pushed two fingers into her was low, sending a shiver down Byleth’s spine. She caught both of Edelgard’s hands in her free hand, pinning them to the wall above her head.

“_Byleth_,” Edelgard said, voice shaking as her legs did the same. She groaned as Byleth pushed in deep, hands flexing in Byleth’s grasp. She rocked her hips toward Byleth’s hand, falling into a rhythm to match how Byleth rocked her fingers in and out. The moment Byleth leaned close enough, Edelgard kissed her. She moaned against her lips, the heat of her breath washing over them when they parted. Byleth kissed her again to steal her breath entirely, leaving her unsteady on her feet.

“I want a day with you, El,” Byleth said when she drew back. “To have you until you can’t take anymore.” She kissed her again, pushing in deep and curling her fingers to make Edelgard gasp, “Byleth!”

“I love you, El,” Byleth whispered in her ear. “So much.” She touched her lips to Edelgard’s ear and murmured, “Let me hear you.”

“My love,” Edelgard panted. Her breath hitched as Byleth bent her thumb to rub her clit; she moaned as she thrust her fingers hard and fast. As her legs quaked, she moaned again and again. Her breath hitched one last time before she came, crying, “_Byleth_!”

Byleth let her come back down more gently, keeping her on her feet. She let go of Edelgard’s hands only to be clung to, Edelgard humming against her shoulder as the last of the tremors left her.

“Byleth?” Edelgard said.

“Yes?”

“Take me to bed.”

“Of course, my emperor,” Byleth said, and she picked Edelgard up even as she began to giggle and press kisses to her cheek.

————

Byleth left for the academy early the following day, still taking time to lazily kiss Edelgard awake and linger in bed with her for a time. She knew there was a faint smile on her face as she sat at her desk, put on her glasses, and resumed grading where she’d left off. With her glasses on, the grading went far faster than usual, giving her time to read and reread sentences at her leisure. She took the opportunity to examine the students’ handwriting, how Maxsim and Henryk wrote the largest and Anahid the smallest, and how Lenci’s was neatest out of all of them.

“Sothis only knows how I managed to read your handwriting, Ana,” she chuckled to herself. “Even if it’s tidy.” She continued on with grading, finishing with some time to spare. She cleaned the blackboard and considered it, the lecture plan in mind.

“Good morning, Professor!”

She turned, seeing Maxsim come into the room. He grinned and pointed to his own face.

“Those look nice on you!” he said. “Ana told us she told you you needed glasses.”

“Thank you, Max. You’re here rather early.”

“I wanted to read a book we’ve got in here before class starts,” he said. “Is that all right?”

“Of course. Which one?”

“Henryk said there’s one about ranged tactics,” he replied. “Wanted to study up on it before we had another assignment with ranged fighters in it.”

She thought as she went to the bookcases, taking only a moment to find a specific book. As she handed it to him, she said, “This one goes into the most depth with the different ranged classes. You can take it with you to the dormitories today.”

“Really?” he asked, grinning brightly. “Thanks, Professor!”

“Go ahead and get started,” Byleth said, moving toward the blackboard. “We’ll have another visitor during the morning lecture, so we’ll be a little short on time.”

“Who’s coming?” he asked, taking the book to his desk.

“Her majesty will be visiting today.”

“To thank Ana, right?” He continued to grin as he said, “Thanks for the heads-up. Now I won’t get embarrassed and act stupid.” He flipped to a blank page in one of his notebooks, saying, “It’s been a crazy term so far, but I’m still happier to be in your class than anyone else’s, Professor. Getting shuffled around like we did showed me we really work best with you.”

“Max,” Byleth said, “I want to ask you something.”

“Sure, Professor,” he said, closing the book and his notebook. “What is it?”

“How did the other classes treat you four?”

“The professors were great,” he replied. “But you’re asking about the students, right?” When she nodded, he said, “Henryk and I were treated all right. I still get some flack about being a commoner, but most people shut up about it when I beat them in quizzes and practical training. Henryk’s kind of popular, actually. All noble and polite.”

“And Ana and Lenci?”

“Ana scares people,” he said. “Not on purpose—she intimidates them. No one’s gotten as much authority training as her and she’s got that weird calm attitude about combat. She never gets nervous fighting anyone unless it’s you and it creeps some people out. And Lenci gets so nervous about using magic if she’s not with us or you that she screws up spells, so people who caught a hard Wind in the gut are bitter about it.”

“And do they harass any of you?”

He stared. For the first time in Byleth’s memory, he scowled, and he asked, “Did you hear people talking behind Ana and Lenci’s back, Professor?”

“I saw them harass Ana directly.” Because his scowl darkened, she said, “I took care of it then. I wanted to know if there’s anything you haven’t been telling me out of some kind of pride or shame.”

“It’s not either of those, Professor,” he said. “It’s just—we handle it fine if we’re together. It’s why we were trying so hard to find her that day.”

“You’re all rather protective of each other now.”

“I know some people get uppity and weird about who they call family,” Maxsim said, starting to smile again, “but if I care about people like I do with them, then they’re my family.” He laughed. “I’d take them to Bergliez to meet my relatives over break if I could!”

“They might like that,” Byleth chuckled. “You should ask.”

“I might!” They both turned at the sound of footsteps, seeing Anahid, Henryk, and Lenci walk into the classroom. Maxsim raised a hand, saying, “Morning!”

“You’re here bright and early,” Lenci said.

“Had something I wanted to read before we got interrupted,” he replied.

“We were wondering why you ate so quickly,” Henryk said, closing the door as Anahid and Lenci went to their desks. Smirking, he said, “It’s always impressive to see how much you can eat in such a short time, Max.”

“I get hungry doing all I do!” Maxsim laughed. “Don’t act like you all don’t chow down after a long day! We’re all still growing, too!”

“We can’t really deny that,” Anahid chuckled. She went still when Lenci, Maxsim, and Henryk looked at her pointedly. She unbuttoned her sleeves and rolled them up to her elbows, leaving her gloves on but exposing the scarring on her forearms. She smiled slightly when they nodded to her.

“Today’s lecture,” Byleth said, starting to write on the blackboard, “will focus on leadership techniques both for battalions and for small strike teams like the one you four make. But before that, there are two things to address. First is that we’ll have another visitor in addition to Lysithea. Her majesty will be joining us briefly around the same time, which should be soon.

“Second, I want to hear if any other students harass you in any way. I wouldn’t accept you four harassing anyone else, so I won’t accept _you_ being on the receiving end of it. Am I understood?”

Though they hesitated, they nodded.

“Thank you. I’ve kept the lecture short because I want to give Lenci some time with Lysithea as well.”

“Me?” said Lenci. “You mean for the technique I came up with?”

“That, and you’ve well outpaced me for magic. If she’s amenable, I’m going to ask her to give you supplemental lessons.”

Lenci stared, going bright red. She asked, “You’ll really ask her to do that?”

“If I can’t teach you to your full potential, I have to find someone who can. It’d be a waste of your magic if I didn’t get you more training. I’d ask Dorothea, but she doesn’t know as much black and dark magic.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Lenci said quietly, looking down.

“You’re welcome.” She looked to the door when it was knocked on, calling, “Yes?”

“You’ve a visitor, your excellency,” the knight stationed at the door said. “Viscountess Ordelia.”

“Let her in, please,” Byleth said. She took off her glasses and set them on her desk as she started toward the door. Lysithea came inside, smiling wearily as she closed the door behind her.

“Good morning, Professor,” Lysithea said, moving to embrace her. “You’re looking well.”

“So are you,” Byleth said. “Thank you for coming.”

“I’m glad to,” Lysithea said with a smile. “If only because it also gives me a chance to do this.” She went to Henryk and offered both hands to him. “I was actually at the council meeting to thank you for all your help. I can’t grant requests like her majesty can, but please know you have my gratitude.”

“I’m glad to have helped,” he said, taking her hands with a smile. He blushed when she kissed his brow, clearing his throat when she let his hands go.

“Now then,” Lysithea said, turning to Anahid, “let me see your hands.”

Slowly, shoulders growing tense, Anahid took off her gloves as Lysithea came to her and sat on her desk. She gave them to her, holding still as she examined the scarring. She kept one hand raised when Lysithea murmured a spell, a patterned hexagram of violet light appearing before her hands. Lysithea moved the light up and down her arm, the scarring shimmering under the light.

“Cast Fire, please,” Lysithea said. “One handed is fine.”

Anahid did so, watching Lysithea’s expression grow pensive as she looked at the black flames.

“Keep holding it,” Lysithea said when Anahid made to close her hand. “For as long as your magic will hold out.”

Anahid nodded, focusing on the flames.

“Professor,” Lysithea said, not looking away from the flames, “do you have any scrap paper?”

“I do.”

“Can you come here and burn some? I want to see what happens.”

Byleth tore a page out of her own notebook, bringing it over and holding it to the black flames. It caught fire instantly, the flames turning red as she brought the paper away. She let the paper go before it could burn her fingers, the last of it burning up as it drifted to the floor.

“All right,” Lysithea murmured. She watched as the black flames began to fade despite Anahid’s concentration, humming when they went out completely.

“You’re out of magic for Fire,” Lysithea said, letting the violet light fade. “I assume you can hold your Fire for much longer than that?”

“I—I should be able to. What’s going on?”

“Your Fire—as it originally was—is gone. These black flames have replaced them completely, including whatever improvements you made while training with it.”

“But it’s not cursed fire?”

“No, just black. You’re not cursed at all.”

The students heaved sighs of relief, Anahid slumping in her chair.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Anahid said, looking up with a shaky smile. “As long as I’m not cursed, I’m—I’ll be fine.”

“You’re welcome,” Lysithea chuckled. “And if you’re concerned about the scarring, that won’t get any worse unless you try to do that little trick with another curse-user.” She tapped Anahid’s hands and said, “Try looking at them like a badge of honor for saving Edelgard, if you’re upset about how they look.”

“I’ll try that. Thank you—really, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she repeated, voice gentle. She turned at the sound of a knock and the knight calling, “More visitors, your excellency!”

“Let them in,” Byleth replied. To Lysithea, she said, “Edelgard is visiting as well. Would you mind staying?”

“I’d be glad to, Professor,” Lysithea replied as the door opened. “Besides, you said…you said you had…_oh_.”

Byleth turned to follow her gaze. Edelgard and Hubert came into the room, followed closely by Leonie, whose expression was grim.

“Leonie?” Byleth said. “I thought you were going toward Garreg Mach to look for mercenaries to join your company.”

“I was, Professor,” Leonie said. “But when we ran into three demonic beasts there, I figured I should come back and let her majesty know.”

“It appears that those who slither mean to take the monastery as a stronghold,” Hubert said.

“You and your mercenaries have my thanks, Leonie,” Edelgard said. “I will have reinforcements sent to the men you left stationed there before the day is out.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Leonie said, bowing to her. Eyes flicking toward Lysithea for just a moment, she said, “Is it all right if I stay in Enbarr a few days before heading out? It was a hard ride from Garreg Mach.”

“You may stay as long as you need,” Edelgard replied. “Any of the open guest rooms in the palace is yours.”

“Thanks, Edelgard,” Leonie said with a sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. Her eyes again flicked toward Lysithea, who was now blushing, and she asked, “So…are these your new students, Professor?”

“They are,” said Byleth.

“They’ve been a great help to Lysithea and myself,” Edelgard said. “Anahid—the girl with Lysithea—recently protected me from an assassin’s curse, and Henryk—the young man there—helped Professor Hanneman and Linhardt with removing one of my and Lysithea’s two crests.

Leonie’s eyes went wide as she grinned massively. She turned to Lysithea and said, “You’ve only got one crest now? So you’re finally okay?”

Lysithea went crimson. Quiet, looking down, she said, “I—I am.”

“That’s great!” Leonie laughed. “Hey, why don’t you and I have lunch and catch up? It’s been forever since we talked!”

Hesitantly, Lysithea looked up. The sight of Leonie’s brilliant smile made her smile in turn. She said, “I would love to, Leonie.”

“Great! Let me go get my gear set in a room and clean up for you! Should I meet you back here?”

“If the professor doesn’t mind me staying for a while.”

“I had something else to ask you about, so it’s fine with me,” Byleth said.

“Give me a little bit, then,” Leonie said. “I’ll be back before you know it!” She headed off at a brisk pace, still smiling brilliantly, and Lysithea turned to stare at Edelgard.

“Did you tell her I told you about our conversation?” she asked.

“I did not repeat what you told me,” Edelgard replied. “I only asked her to accompany Hubert and myself to speak with Byleth.” She smiled. “The rest was her honest reaction to seeing you again.”

She continued to stare. She started to smile. “Then…she really wasn’t offended about me saying she’d be a good husband.” She rubbed her cheeks and said, “I mean—if she said she’d have me for a wife, I suppose she wasn’t offended in the first place, but—thank goodness.”

“Aw, you’ve got a crush, Miss Lysithea!” Maxsim laughed.

“_Max_!” Anahid, Lenci, and Henryk hissed.

“It’s all right,” Lysithea said. “He’s not wrong. I just didn’t have time to have crushes before, but now I do.” She laughed quietly. “I finally have time.” She looked at Byleth, smiling, and asked, “What else did you need, Professor?”

“Would you give Lenci supplemental lessons for magic? She’s gotten past the point where I can teach her effectively.”

Lysithea turned to Lenci and asked, “You’re the one who came up with the technique Anahid used?”

“Yes ma’am,” said Lenci.

“I’d be glad to,” Lysithea said. “It’ll be interesting working with someone willing to try new things.” She chuckled and added, “And now I have the time to teach someone.”

“Thank you, Lysithea,” Byleth said as Lenci went wide-eyed with joy. “I appreciate the help.”

“So long as it doesn’t cut into the time Leonie is free for me.”

As the students laughed, Byleth and Edelgard shared a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conversation Lysithea is referencing is actually the original Japanese B-support she had with Leonie, as it was way more interesting than the conversation we got in the English localization.
> 
> More plot, more character studies, and more smut! We're off to a good start!


	3. By These Hands, Joined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The marriage of royalty: the planning involved and how vows are said.
> 
> Or, the wedding of Byleth Eisner and Edelgard von Hresvelg, and small breaths beforehand.
> 
> (explicit content warning for end of chapter)

“Were the demonic beasts on Garreg Mach’s grounds?” Edelgard asked over dinner that night. Leonie, sitting next to Lysithea with the Black Eagles and Byleth, shook her head as she swallowed her mouthful of food.

“Not directly on the grounds,” she said. “But approaching and only a few miles away.”

“Were there any Agarthans leading them?”

“The creeps with white hair? One for each beast, yeah, and a handful more. All of them were mages, but my men took them down quickly.” She frowned and quietly said, “Lost some of my aerial riders, though. We gave them a proper burial before I headed here.”

Lysithea hesitated a moment, but put a hand on Leonie’s knee. Leonie, in turn, smiled slightly and put a hand over hers.

“I was hoping we could’ve made the first move,” Byleth said, “to give people a little peace of mind. Leonie, could you tell what direction they were coming from?”

“Definitely from the south—somewhere in Adrestia.”

“Wait, from Adrestia?” Dorothea asked. “How could we not have heard about more demonic beasts in the country?”

“If they are hiding like the coward worms they are, I think it is likely they are in a place not many people are going to,” said Petra. “There are many mountains near the monastery—we have been in a stronghold in mountains before.”

“Yes,” Hubert said quietly. “Oghma and the mountains in Hyrm. If they’re anywhere, they’re most likely there.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “I will begin discussing our theory with Thales tomorrow.”

“Are we waiting until after the wedding to make a move, Edelgard?” Linhardt asked. He yawned and said, “I’m not opposed to getting a little more time to nap before all hell breaks loose.”

“What wedding?” Leonie asked. When Caspar pointed at Byleth and Edelgard, she smiled. “You finally set a date?”

“It was going to be in two months,” Edelgard replied, “but you have a good point, Linhardt.” She thought, and then looked at Byleth. “Would you prefer to wait?”

“Not really,” Byleth said with a smile. “When would we get married if we moved the date up?”

Edelgard thought further. She looked at Bernadetta and asked, “When could you be done with the embroidery you wanted to do for our dresses?”

“Are the dresses ready?” Bernadetta asked.

“We have our final fitting tomorrow.”

“Um,” Bernadetta said, looking at the ceiling as she thought. “I think maybe ten days? If I just get to work on that all the time.”

“Would you need more than three weeks if you had any interruptions?”

“No, I can get it done sooner than that! Two weeks is more than enough!”

“Thank you, Bernadetta.” Turning to Byleth with a smile on her face, she asked, “What do you say to three weeks from now?”

Byleth smiled and said, “I’d like that.”

————

Byleth had always known most weddings took a great deal of planning, even when she was a mercenary. It had been a game in her father’s mercenary company to guess at how much money had been poured into weddings they passed by while working, though never in Jeralt’s earshot. She had never participated, but the sight of ornate finery, grand parties, and bands playing beautifully happy music stuck in the back of her mind for years.

The knowledge of how much had to be planned did not prepare her for the planning that began two days later. The fact that a special session of the small council was called specifically for it left her dumbstruck, and Esfir was much the same when Edelgard spoke of Caitir Marrack.

“An—_excommunicated priest_?” Esfir choked out. “_That’s_ who you’ve picked to preside?”

“She is faithful to the goddess over Seiros,” Edelgard replied. “That should be sufficient for the terms we discussed.”

Esfir stared, her disjointed and broken thinking clear in her face. She said, “It—but the—you—your majesty, _please_—”

“Baroness Darvish,” Edelgard said gently, “I understand your concern. I would like you to consider a different way to handle this. Where are we in the reconstruction of the church? In terms of separating it wholly from the government?”

“It—it’s split wholly from the government,” Esfir said. “That was settled while you were ill, but sanctions to limit their overall power and finances are still being worked out.”

“Are there still people outside the church who are upset that there is no presence of the faithful in the palace?”

“Of course there are,” Esfir said, sniffing delicately.

“Then I would like to propose something, should Marrack be amenable,” said Edelgard. “We will name her the master of religious ceremonies for the palace, or a similar title, and reinstate her status as a priest of the faith. Will that be a fair extended hand to the faithful and the populace at large?”

Esfir boggled at her. She thought, rubbing her brow. After a long while, she sighed heavily and said, “It will be, your majesty. I will speak with the priests in the cathedral today.”

“Thank you,” Edelgard said, tipping her head to her.

“That brings us rather neatly to the matter of the festival,” said Melis. “Baron Ayral and I are agreed on allowing Enbarr’s citizens to participate in food making and selling artisan goods, as they did for the festival for the engagement announcements.”

“Within reason, of course,” Ormand said. “They will have to apply for permission to set up vendor stalls and all food supplies will be checked thoroughly and regularly by knights to ensure no one is at risk of being poisoned.”

Ervin sighed heavily, drumming his fingers on the table. “I don’t like it, but it’s fine.”

“What’s not to like?” Ormand asked. “Everyone enjoys festivals and we’re going to be quite cautious this time.”

“I don’t like it because we’re dealing with enemies who can change their appearance and are out for her majesty’s life,” Ervin replied. “But it’s fine because her majesty will be in the palace for most of the day and we’ll have checks on—”

“The lord regent and I will be out with the people, Count Bergliez,” said Edelgard.

He looked at her. He frowned, put a hand over his eyes, and again sighed heavily. He asked, “Is there _anything_ you intend to do in line with tradition, your majesty?”

“My vows will be in line with tradition,” Edelgard said, “though I ask that Byleth be allowed to say whatever she chooses to say.”

“With respect, your majesty, what the lord regent chooses to say for her vows is of no consequence to me. My concern is that you’re going to put yourself in danger by being out in the general public when there may be assassins on the way for you.”

“The assassin has given no information on any additional threats outside the Agarthan forces at large,” Hubert said. “It is my opinion that her majesty and the lord regent will be safe, particularly if they continue to have knight escorts.”

“Not you, too,” Ervin groaned.

“Count Bergliez,” Edelgard said, “I want to show the people of Fódlan that I’m human. I can’t do that if I’m hiding in the palace all day and only appear for a brief ceremony.”

Ervin lowered his hand and looked at her with a raised brow. He said, “You will be putting your life _and_ your fiancee’s life at risk for a political maneuver. I do not condone that kind of action, speaking as the minister of military affairs.”

“I am not doing this purely as a political maneuver,” she replied. “This is selfishness.”

“‘Selfishness’?” Byleth echoed.

“I want to be able to go to a festival with you,” Edelgard said. “As any couple should be able to.” Quietly, she said, “I think we’ve earned that much.”

Ervin rubbed his eyes hard and dragged his hand down his face. He asked, “Do you agree to having knights escorting you at all times when you’re out in public?”

“Of course.”

He sighed one more time. “If that is your wish, your majesty, I suppose I can’t stop you. Will you leave the assignments of knights and soldiers in the city to me, at least?”

“I will. Thank you, Count Bergliez.”

“In that case,” Melis said, “we will have to be even more meticulous about our checks on those who apply for vendor stalls this time around.”

“And potentially those who enter the main hall to witness the ceremony,” Ormand said. “Should we impose a guest list similar to the one for the engagement ball?”

“It would be prudent, your majesty,” Melis said.

Edelgard sighed quietly and said, “All right. Please ensure that there’s an even mix of nobility and common houses again.”

“It will be done.”

“Then we understand our tasks?” Edelgard asked.

“We do, your majesty,” Ferdinand replied. “And I will help Count Bergliez with managing visitors to the city over the next three weeks.”

“Thank you, Duke Aegir. Then we will reconvene at the end of this week.”

The ministers stood and bowed to her, even Hubert taking his leave. Byleth lingered, taking Edelgard’s hand before she could take to her feet.

“El,” she said quietly, “can I ask you something?”

“Of course, my love.”

“Will everything we do as a couple have to have some kind of political angle?”

Edelgard went still. Her mouth twisted; she lifted Byleth’s hand to kiss her palm. Gently, she asked, “How long has this bothered you?”

“It’s just—I want to marry you without worrying that it’s going to impact how people see you. _That’s_ what we’ve earned, Edelgard. Just us getting to be happy.”

“It sounds like you want to run away with me,” Edelgard said, a faint, weary smile on her face.

“If we actually had the option, I _would_,” Byleth mumbled, holding her hand tight.

For a time, Edelgard was silent. She rubbed Byleth’s knuckles with her thumb, and eventually she said, “Forgive me, Byleth. I hadn’t considered your feelings during this.”

“El,” Byleth said, “I just don’t want you to have to play the political game your entire life when you’ve earned the right to a _peaceful_ life.”

Edelgard sighed softly, put a hand on Byleth’s cheek, and leaned close to kiss her. When they parted, she said, “And that’s all I want with you, my love. To live somewhere quiet with my wife and daughter. Somewhere away from Enbarr, where no one knows us for the titles we once held.”

“You still want to abdicate one day?”

“Yes, and sooner than later. Adelaide doesn’t need to live with the stresses and expectations of high noble birth.”

“El,” Byleth murmured, “we’d never let anything happen to her, princess or not.”

“I know.” She kissed her again. “But I still want a quiet life with you.” She smiled wearily. “The crown is very heavy now, Byleth.”

“I’ll bear it with you,” Byleth said, and she kissed her once more. “I promise.”

“And I _will_ find a way to give you peace of mind about our wedding. Just give me a little time.”

“Thank you,” she said, and she accepted Edelgard’s sweet, soft kiss.

————

Class certification exams at Enbarr’s imperial academy were more rigorous than the exams at Garreg Mach, taking two days to cover all students testing. The first day was devoted to a written test comprised of a timed essay and a sheet of short answer questions, and split between the different classes. The second day was all practical testing, skills and spells drilled out of students to show prowess.

Two weeks after Leonie’s arrival, Byleth took the day before the exam to prevent the students from forming a study group as she knew most other students were doing. When they arrived in the classroom, anxiety visible in them, and started to open their texts and notebooks, she shook her head.

“We’re taking time to calm you down,” she said. “You’ll study until midnight if I don’t get you to relax, and that’s going to significantly impact your abilities over the next two days.” When she saw them preparing to protest, she shook her head again.

“You know the subject matter for the written portion,” she said, “and your skills more than meet the requirements for the practical. What you need most is to relax.” As they went quiet, looking down, she said, “Tell me what you’re most concerned about.”

“I’m worried I’m still lacking on everything for my class,” Henryk said, “_especially_ the practical skills with the lance. I know we drilled and drilled and _drilled_, but—I don’t know, Professor.”

“Ana,” Byleth said, “tell Henryk why he’ll pass his practical.”

Anahid looked at her curiously a moment before smiling. She turned to Henryk and said, “You’ve beaten everyone but the professor in a spar and you disarmed her twice. You’re doing better with the lance now than you were doing with the sword before.”

He stared. He smiled tentatively and said, “Thank you, Ana.”

“Ana,” Byleth said again, “what are you concerned about?”

She froze, and then closed her hands into fists. “I’m not allowed to wear my gloves during either test, and it’s too warm to wear a long sleeved shirt during the practical exam. I’m worried the proctors will look at me poorly because I was injured because I was stupid.”

“Max,” Byleth said, “tell Ana why the proctors will look at her favorably.”

“Well, one,” he said to Anahid, “you got hurt protecting her majesty. A proctor should like you for that by itself. Two, you and me already tested highest once, so that should help, too.”

She smiled, laughed faintly, and said, “Thanks, Max.”

“Max,” said Byleth, “what are you concerned about?”

“The timed essay, honestly,” he admitted, going slightly red. “I get a ton of time to work on essays for you so I can get my thoughts in order, but getting timed scares me a little. I really don’t want to not finish.”

“Lenci,” Byleth said, “tell Max why he’ll finish on time with a well written essay.”

“Max, you write the fastest of all of us and your first drafts are always structured well and well thought out,” Lenci said. “You’ll be done before anyone else and you’ll have time to do some touching up before time runs out.”

He thought, grinned, and said, “You’re right. Thanks, Lenci.”

“Lenci,” said Byleth, “what are you most concerned about?”

“Ruining my castings,” Lenci said quietly. “What—what if I can’t control something?”

Byleth smiled and said, “Lenci, I’m going to tell you something I want you to take to heart from now on. You’re having trouble managing your castings because you try too hard to diminish them. You succeed most when you let your magic be as strong as it is, not when you try to suppress it. The proctors will be more impressed if you cast powerful spells and control them well, so you can stop holding back now.”

“Yeah, it’s your turn to show everyone up!” Maxsim said. “You’ll be great!”

“You really will show everyone up, Lenci,” Henryk said. “No one can toss me with Wind like you.” He winked when she looked at him, earning a tentative giggle.

“Lenci,” Anahid said, “you’ll do well. You can and _should_ be confident.”

She took a slow, deep breath, and nodded, saying, “Thank you, Ana. I will.”

“You’ve passed all your tests under me,” Byleth said. “You know the subject matter backward and forward and your skills with your weapons are far better than I’d expected with how much we were interrupted this term.” She smiled at them and said, “I’m confident you four will pass without any issue. All you need to do is stay relaxed and remember what you told each other.”

“Yes, Professor,” they said in unison, smiles finally back on their faces. Their smiles were still in place the following morning when they came into the classroom. Byleth led Anahid to the academy’s main hall first for the myrmidon’s written portion, standing by with other professors to watch. Though she saw several students look warily at Anahid’s hands, she also saw Anahid remain wholly focused throughout the exam, finishing with a few minutes to spare.

They returned to the classroom to wait for the monk’s written portion, scheduled after the portion for the mercenary class, and Anahid relayed how questions were structured. Lenci kissed her cheek before following Byleth to the main hall. Byleth smiled at the sight of her taking a deep, steadying breath before diving into the questions. She, too, finished a handful of minutes early, smiling brightly as she waited for time to be called.

Henryk went next after the mages’ and priests’ portions were finished, a look of determined focus on his face from the moment Byleth led him from the classroom. There was no tension in him as they went; his shoulders were relaxed as he sat down and began the test. He took almost all the time allotted, Byleth catching when he hesitated on a few questions. Despite it, his smile was bright and easy on the walk back.

The fighter’s written portion was second to last in the day, well into the afternoon. Maxsim stretched his arms and shoulders as Byleth led him to the hall. His perpetual smile faded for a faint frown of focus as he work, writing quick and clear. He finished earliest of all, taking the time to go through his answers again. When they returned to the classroom, he was grinning outright.

Their cheer carried into the next day, the four of them wearing light, close fitting clothes as was allowed for the practical. After some time to warm up in the classroom, they all followed Byleth to the outdoor training grounds, just outside the training hall, and were sorted into groups of students based on the classes they were testing for. Myrmidon students were first again, the others being directed into the training hall to wait and warm up further.

“Stay focused,” Byleth said quietly as Anahid stretched and waited to be called. “Keep your hands steady and your shoulders loose. If you activate your crest during your drills, don’t get startled. Let it happen and impress the proctors.”

“Yes ma’am,” Anahid replied, voice steady.

“Professors aren’t allowed to watch this test, so I’ll be in the hall watching the others until it’s their turn.”

“I’ll be fine,” Anahid said, smiling. “Thank you, Professor.”

Byleth nodded, patting her shoulder when her name was finally called. As Anahid moved forward, Byleth returned to the hall, going up to the walkways to stand and watch the students below. They remained in the groups they’d been sorted into, but warmed up separately from each other. Byleth, like the other professors on the walkway, moved about to watch one student or another.

She checked on Lenci first, nodding at the sight of her concentrating on creating controlled flares of each spell she knew. The fact that other students looked at her with a mixture of shock and envy when she cast Miasma made Byleth smile before moving to check on Henryk.

He stood spinning a lance in his hands, aiming quick, light thrusts at a phantom opponent with the dexterity he’d gained in their constant practice. He looked at no one else as he warmed up, taking breaks to pace as Byleth had instructed them. The serene, easy smile on his face made her laugh once through her nose before moving on to Maxsim.

Where most fighter students were warming up with quick, hard swings of their axes or fists, Maxsim moved with slow, steady purpose. Even at a distance, she could see how his grip was tight on the axe, every muscle taut to stretch. His smile was again gone in his focus, making Byleth smile once more.

When the myrmidon students were released, all of them sweaty and looking disappointed or pleased with themselves, the fighter students were called back. Byleth came down from the walkway to meet Anahid and her cautious grin.

“Go get cleaned up and head back to the dormitories,” Byleth said. “There’s not much else to do until the grades are delivered tomorrow.”

“Yes ma’am,” Anahid said, catching her breath. She raised a hand as Maxsim drew close, smiling when he grinned and raised his hand in turn.

“Give me all that good luck,” he said, “and I’ll pass it down the line.”

“All yours, Max,” Anahid said, and she clapped her hand against his. He laughed and headed outside, and Anahid waved at Lenci and Henryk before heading out with the other students. When the soldier students were called some time later, Henryk was ready with a hand raised as he came to meet Maxsim and Byleth.

“Luck’s all yours now,” Maxsim said, clapping his hand against Henryk’s. They both headed off with grins, and Maxsim’s was infectious enough that Lenci smiled when he waved at her. When the monk students were finally called, she came to Byleth and Henryk and raised her hand.

“The luck’s yours now, Lenci,” Henryk said. “Show everyone up.” He clapped his hand against hers, and she went outside with a smile firmly in place on her face. It was still there when the monk students were released late in the afternoon, and Byleth sent her on her way with a smile of her own.

The following morning, the students were already in the classroom, looking at her with hope in their eyes. She smiled, went to the front of the room, and took four pieces of paper from where they were tucked in her notebook.

“The results were waiting in the staff room this morning,” she said. “Would you like to hear them?” When they nodded in unison, she chuckled, put her glasses on, and said, “All right. Then we’ll start with Ana.” She shuffled the papers to find a specific piece and read, “Anahid Vartan, highest score in written, highest score in practical, passes the myrmidon class certification.”

Anahid grinned, and she laughed when Maxsim leaned over his desk to clap her on the back.

“Henryk von Marcin,” Byleth said, flipping a page, “second highest score in written, highest score in practical, passes the soldier certification.”

“Ah, I knew I missed at least one question,” Henryk sighed, but he grinned all the same.

“Maxsim Stesha,” Byleth said, flipping another page, “highest score in written, highest score in practical, passes the fighter class certification.”

“_Yes_!” Maxsim laughed. “Tied you again, Ana!”

“And Lenci von Tibor,” Byleth said, flipping to the last page, “highest score in written, highest score in practical, and a special high mark given for the most precise spell casting among all the monk students. Passes the monk certification.”

Lenci sat frozen, looking startled. She blushed bright red, laughed, and laughed again when she looked at the others and saw their grins.

“Well done, all of you,” Byleth said. “I’ll pass this on to Count Bergliez, but any word on how you’ll be assigned within the new divisions probably won’t come until after my wedding.”

“That’s only about a week away, isn’t it?” Anahid asked.

“Six days,” Byleth replied.

“I wish we could see the ceremony,” Lenci said. “But I heard there’s a guest list.”

“It’s mostly the same list of people as the ball for our engagement announcement, which means you four can attend. I expect you to be on your best behavior.”

They stared at her a moment before grinning at each other, and Byleth smiled at the sight of it.

————

“Byleth,” Edelgard said at dinner that night, “will you stay up with me tonight?”

Byleth stopped chewing a moment to give her a curious look. She swallowed and said, “I will, but why are we staying up?”

“Because I think I’ve found an answer to your concern about everything being political.”

She gave Edelgard another curious look, but said, “All right. I’ll follow you, El.”

“Thank you, my love,” Edelgard said, and she said no more through dinner and the rest of the evening. It was close to midnight before Edelgard touched her shoulder while she sat in a chair reading. She looked up, glasses on the tip of her nose, and went still at the sight of Edelgard standing in her wedding dress.

The dress was brilliantly crimson, long to the floor and sleek to Edelgard’s body. Gold embroidery of roses was gathered along the hem, and along the cuffs of her long sleeves. A gold shawl was around her shoulders, the black Adrestian eagle on one shoulder. She wore no crown and her hands were bare, and the ring on her left hand seemed to glitter more brightly for it.

“El?” Byleth said quietly.

“Will you put your dress on and follow me?” Edelgard asked, running her hand through Byleth’s hair.

Mouth dry, Byleth nodded and stood up to put on her wedding dress. It was a rich navy blue against Edelgard’s crimson, long to the floor but lacking sleeves. The carnations embroidered at the hem of her dress and along her neckline were deeply scarlet, as was the short cape attached to the sash draped over one shoulder. Her heart was thoroughly lodged in her throat when Edelgard touched her shoulder again.

For a time, Edelgard said nothing and simply looked at her. Her smile was adoring as she put her hands on Byleth’s face and looked into her eyes. She rose up on her toes to kiss Byleth tenderly, exhaling a laugh when Byleth looked at her with a confused smile.

“Have you memorized your vows?” she asked. When Byleth nodded, she said, “Then follow me.”

Byleth did so, taking her hand to hold as they left their quarters. She stared at Hubert, waiting outside the door for them. He bowed to them deeply, looking significantly at the knights stationed at the door when he straightened up.

“Your majesty, I’ve had the way to the main hall cleared of servants,” he said. “There are additional knights standing guard there, if you’ll all follow me.”

“El?” Byleth said again.

“We must be quiet as we go, my love,” Edelgard said, squeezing her hand. Byleth did so, keeping her mouth closed as Hubert led them through the halls of the palace. When they arrived at the main hall, he opened the doors and bowed to them.

“As requested,” he said, “I will join the others as witness. The knights will stand guard.”

“Thank you, Hubert,” said Edelgard, and she led Byleth into the hall. Byleth stared openly at the Black Eagles and Lysithea standing at the top of the stairs with Caitir, all wearing finery or the white robe of a reinstated priest respectively. Her hands began to shake as Edelgard guided her up the stairs.

“I must say, your majesty,” Caitir said when they reached the top of the stairs, “I don’t typically marry people twice, much less in less than a week.”

Byleth froze entirely. She turned to gape at Edelgard, who smiled in return.

“This was what I thought of, my love,” Edelgard said. “A private wedding. To marry you _just_ to marry you, and to have the other ceremony handle the politics.” She smiled shakily and asked, “Will you marry me tonight, Byleth?”

“Of course I will,” Byleth whispered as her hands grew steady. She followed Edelgard’s lead to stand before Caitir, who smiled at them.

“Are you ready to begin?” she asked. When they nodded, she bowed to them, cleared her throat, and began to lead their private ceremony.

————

The festival held before the official wedding was even more elaborate than the one for the engagement announcement, the streets filled with vendor stalls and wandering minstrels. Where the Black Eagles, Lysithea, and Leonie, returned again from Garreg Mach, were greeted with great cheer, the sight of Byleth and Edelgard walking the streets hand in hand made most people stare a moment. Children acted as a bridge of sorts, growing excited the moment they recognized them and Edelgard without her horned crown.

The crown she wore was the one worn in peace-time, a band of gold supporting a broad piece of gold shaped as a flat, blooming flower with small details and adornments of jewels across it. A large teardrop ruby was at the center of the gold piece, a white opal hung to rest between her brows. It left her long hair loose, flowing over her shoulders and fluttering in the warm summer breeze.

Every time the wind caught her hair, every time she smiled and laughed, Byleth could not help but smile. The warmth of Edelgard’s left hand and her ring kept her throbbing heart from racing away from her, and she lifted her hand to kiss it more times than she bothered to count. Each time, Edelgard looked at her with adoration, and she leaned close to whisper in her ear.

“Yes, my wife?” she said, earning her a brief grin from Byleth. They repeated this over and over as they went through the streets, their knight escorts close behind them. Though the vendors, minstrels, and children grew comfortable enough to call to them, some children even running up to them to chat aimlessly, the knights remained vigilant.

It was shortly after noon when Hubert appeared from the crowd, catching them in the middle of sharing bags of bits of pastry covered in powdered sugar with the children that had gathered around them. He bowed to them, ignoring how several children moved to hide behind Byleth and Edelgard.

“Your majesty, Lord Regent, it is time,” he said.

Edelgard smiled. She crouched down to pass the bag of pastries to the oldest girl in the group, dusting off her fingers as she straightened.

“Are you gonna go get married now?” a boy asked.

“We are,” Byleth said, passing her bag to him. She chuckled when a few of the smallest children cheered, and she dusted off her fingers before taking Edelgard’s hand. They followed Hubert through the crowd and back to the palace, heading straight for their quarters. As requested, no attendants were there to help them dress, leaving Byleth to brush Edelgard’s hair until it gleamed. In turn, Edelgard kissed her sweetly before painting their lips a rosy red.

“Are you ready to marry me again?” she asked, putting her hands on Byleth’s face.

“As many times as you want, El,” Byleth murmured.

“Come with me, then, my love.” She took Byleth’s left hand, kissing her ring before leading her out of their quarters. Hubert, waiting at the door with the knights, bowed when they came out, and there was a small, warm smile on his face when he straightened up.

“If you’ll follow me,” he said. He started away, Byleth and Edelgard following with the knights behind them. They made their way to the main hall once more, stopping at the closed doors and hearing the drone of conversation beyond.

“Like we practiced, then,” Byleth said quietly.

“Like we practiced,” Edelgard replied. She nodded to Hubert, who opened the doors. Ferdinand stood just beyond them, and his already bright smile turned brilliant at the sight of them. He bowed to them before stepping out onto the crimson rug that cut a path through the many people in the hall. He raised his hands, catching attention and bringing silence with it.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” he said. “Her majesty Edelgard von Hresvelg, emperor of Fódlan!” He bowed with a flourishing gesture to Edelgard as she came into the hall, Hubert one pace behind her. Applause rose in the crowd, equally met with awed murmurs to her beauty. She and Hubert crossed the hall and climbed the stairs, where Caitir stood waiting. When they were at the top of the stairs, Edelgard turned back. The crowd followed her gaze, Ferdinand grinning outright when he looked to Byleth.

“And her most beloved fiancee, Lord Regent Byleth Eisner!” he said. He bowed to her with another flourish as she entered the hall. Applause rang out again, more murmurs coming with it, but Byleth heard not a word of it as she went to the stairs and up them to meet Edelgard where she stood. They reached for each other’s hands in unison, fingers bumping and tangling together, and looked at Caitir.

“Shall we repeat ourselves?” Caitir asked in a whisper only for them. When they nodded, she smiled and laughed quietly. “Then let’s begin.” She cleared her throat and shifted how she stood. She raised her hands for silence, took a deep breath when she had it, and began to speak.

“We are gathered here,” she said, “under the goddess’s loving gaze to bear witness to a union between two souls. One our emperor, the other her dearest love. Here in the heart of Adrestia, we bear witness to two hearts beating in unison. We are here to hear their pledges of love and of fealty, for the heart of an empire is only as strong and as true as the hearts of those who lead it.

“Your majesty,” she said, looking to Edelgard, “do you swear by the goddess and all the good things in the world that Byleth Eisner is your beloved?”

“I do,” Edelgard said.

“Do you swear that you will do all in your power to bring her happiness, and to never let her spirit darken in days of turmoil?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to love and protect her, come what may in your lives?”

“I do.” She smiled, laughing shakily, and repeated, “Come what may.”

“Your majesty,” Caitir said, “the goddess and your people beat witness to you in this moment. Your beloved will hear you clearly. Please…your vows.”

Byleth smiled and squeezed Edelgard’s trembling fingers. Whispering, she said, “I’m listening, El.”

Edelgard smiled and squeezed back. Voice steady, she said, “We met not by chance, but by fate. You came into my life as a beacon of light, burning as bright as the sun, and every day I spent in your light freed me more from the shadows of my past. Without you, I would be no worthy emperor. _With_ you, I know nothing cannot be accomplished. With you at my side as my wife and my empress, I will ensure Fódlan is led to a greater peace and equality than it has seen in years. If you will have me, Byleth Eisner.”

“I will,” Byleth said.

“Your excellency,” Caitir said, turning to Byleth, “do you swear by the goddess and all good things in the world that Edelgard von Hresvelg is your beloved?”

“I do,” Byleth said.

“Do you swear that you will do all in your power to bring her happiness, and to never let her spirit darken in days of turmoil?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to love and protect her, come what may in your lives?”

“I do,” Byleth said, smiling at Edelgard. “Come what may.”

“Your excellency,” Caitir said, “the goddess and the people bear witness to you in this moment. Your beloved will hear you clearly. Please…your vows.”

For a moment, her heart was lodged high in her throat again, keeping her silent. When Edelgard whispered, “I’m listening, Byleth,” she smiled, swallowed slowly, and took a deep breath to steady her voice.

“Before we met,” she said, “I spent my days in combat and didn’t see past the tip of my sword. You came into my life always looking forward, always seeking a greater future. When you extended your hand to me to let me walk with you, I felt like I was finally waking up from a long dream of wandering alone. You gave me a life and a future I never thought I’d have, and all I want is to spend my life with you so I can love you every day. If you’ll have me, Edelgard von Hresvelg.”

“I will,” Edelgard replied.

“The goddess hears you,” Caitir said, “and she blesses your union as true and loving. The people of Fódlan hear you and bear witness to the love that will keep you both fair and benevolent. All that remains is a final oath from her excellency.” She gestured, and Byleth saw Hubert approached with an ornately carved wooden box.

“Will you kneel before me, my love?” Edelgard asked.

Byleth nodded and did so, putting her hands together over her heart as Edelgard had shown her.

“Byleth Eisner,” Edelgard said, “you have been a guiding light for Fódlan’s people for years, and you will continue to be one for them not as their lord regent, but as their empress. Do you swear to lead justly and to fight for the happiness of the people? To never back down from protecting them, whatever the threat may be? And to hold true to peace and equality forevermore?”

“I do,” Byleth said, head held high.

“Then by my right as emperor, I name you Byleth Eisner, empress of Adrestia and of Fódlan.” She took from the wooden box a crown. A gold band supported a piece of gold shaped as an angular heart adorned with a small, five-pointed crown, bracketed by two round rubies and a white opal to hang between her brows. Edelgard set the crown upon her head, hands lingering as she brushed her hair back from her face.

“Rise, my empress,” Edelgard said, “and bow to no one from this day forward.”

Byleth stood, smiling at Edelgard as she took her hands once more.

“Before the eyes of all, I proclaim them now!” Caitir said, raising her hands. “They are Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg and Empress Byleth Eisner, now married and bound by love!”

“Long may they reign!” a call came from the crowd.

“Long may they reign!” was the chorused reply through the hall.

“Your majesties,” Caitir said, “you may share your _first_ kiss as wife and wife.”

Byleth laughed and made to pull Edelgard closer. Edelgard had already moved her to meet her in a kiss even sweeter than the one they’d shared a week before.

————

The reception lasted well into the night, full of dancing, feasting, and speaking to the many guests. It was close to midnight when they were allowed to retire to their quarters, Hubert and the knights escorting them once more.

“I’ve taken the liberty of clearing your schedules for the next two days,” Hubert said. “No meetings and no classes. I hope it is a suitable wedding present until a proper honeymoon can be arranged.”

“It is,” said Edelgard. “Thank you, Hubert.”

“Of course, your majesty,” he said with a bow. “Until tomorrow, then.”

“Thank you,” Byleth echoed, nodding when he bowed to her as well. She opened the door to let Edelgard go inside first, locking the door behind them. For a moment, she kept still and watched Edelgard walk toward the table as she took off her crown.

“I thought we’d never be allowed to go,” Edelgard sighed, setting her crown on the table. She laughed wearily and said, “Strangely, it made me wish we had somewhere else to go to.”

“What do you mean?” Byleth asked, taking off her crown and moving to stand next to her.

“The home we’ve spoken about before,” Edelgard replied. “Away from Enbarr, just for us and our daughter one day.” She laughed again and said, “Look at me…talking about a life where we’ve abdicated when I just crowned you empress.”

“El,” Byleth said, setting her crown down to take her face in hand, “that’s what I want, too.” She smiled and said, “A little house near water to be able to fish, close to a town so Adelaide could make friends…it’ll be nice.”

“It would be.” She sighed. “But now it somehow seems further away than before with—”

“El,” Byleth said again. “Not tonight.” She kissed her brow, then her nose, then her cheek. “Be with me tonight. Nowhere else, and not looking back or forward for just a little while.” She kissed her lips lightly, smiled again, and murmured, “I would like to love my wife.”

“You may,” Edelgard whispered. She laughed when Byleth scooped her up into her arms to carry her into the bedroom. “Still such a reserve of strength after a day like today?”

“Dancing doesn’t really require a lot from my arms,” Byleth said, setting Edelgard on her feet near their bed. She took the gold shawl from Edelgard’s shoulders and tossed it aside before starting to undo the buttons down the back of her dress.

As Edelgard’s dress fell to the floor, pooling around her feet, Byleth lost all words. She took one of Edelgard’s hands to kiss her palm, her wrist, trailing kisses up her forearm before moving to her shoulder and following its curve to her neck. She nipped her neck to hear her inhale deeply, to feel her bury a hand in her hair.

“Byleth,” Edelgard said faintly. Her breath hitched when Byleth undid the ties on her sheer, small undershirt and took it from her. She bit her lip when she led her to the bed, squirming because Byleth sat down and kept her standing with her hands on her hips. As Byleth brought her mouth and her hands to her breasts, she put her hands on her shoulders for balance.

Byleth’s touch was light, was soft in the utmost as she played with Edelgard’s breasts, kissed them sweetly. Her callused fingers were gentle on scarred skin, fingertips running along the scars’ edges before she cupped her breasts. She rolled her nipples between thumb and forefinger, kissing the top of her chest as they hardened under her touch.

Byleth leaned in to take one of Edelgard’s nipples between her lips, lapping at it until Edelgard exhaled shakily through her nose. Smiling, she sucked to draw a moan out of her. Edelgard moved a hand to her hair, gripping it as her breathing grew unsteady.

“My love,” she whispered. “This is terribly unfair.”

Byleth hummed a question.

“I’m not able to see you.”

She hummed again, taking her mouth and hands away so Edelgard could step back. She stood up and turned around when Edelgard gestured, letting her take off her cape and sash and undo the buttons on the back of her dress. Though she meant to turn around when her undershirt had been taken off, Edelgard kept her where she was.

“How strange,” Edelgard said, running her hands up and down Byleth’s back. “I feel I haven’t seen your back in ages.” She kissed between her shoulder blades. “We’ve walked side by side for so long now.” She hitched her thumbs over the top of Byleth’s small clothes at her hips to pull them down. Kissing her back again, she brought her hands up to hold Byleth’s breasts.

“And now you’re my wife,” she said, lips against her skin. “We’ll walk side by side from now on.” She laughed faintly, nuzzling against Byleth’s back as she began to toy with her nipples. She felt Byleth take a wavering breath, pulling her closer to feel her breathe as she played with her.

“Will you lay down, my love?” Edelgard asked, standing on her toes to whisper in her ear. When Byleth nodded, she kissed her cheek. She let her lay down on her back, getting into bed with her. Every touch of her hands was tender and sweet, and she ran her rough hands over her skin to make her shiver. She cupped Byleth’s breasts and bowed her head to suck her nipples gently. The sound of Byleth whimpering made her suck harder.

“_El_!” Byleth gasped. She groaned when Edelgard hummed, lips still wrapped around her, and squirmed when one of her hands drifted down her stomach. The first light touch between her legs made her close her eyes tight, every muscle tensing.

“You’re sensitive tonight,” Edelgard murmured.

“It feels—different, for some reason,” Byleth said quietly. “I don’t know why—we made love after we were married the first time.”

“Perhaps because now the world knows you’re my wife?” She began to trace a path down Byleth’s stomach with her lips. “I must admit it feels different tonight. You taste sweeter…your voice is more enticing.” She moved between Byleth’s legs, lifting them over her shoulder. “May I taste you here, my love?”

“Please,” Byleth whimpered. She tensed when Edelgard pressed a kiss to her, but went limp as she started to lick her with long, heavy passes of her tongue. She smiled hazily, tangling her fingers in Edelgard’s hair. The sensation of Edelgard humming against her made her moan; the way Edelgard’s tongue dipped into her made her gasp, toes curling.

“_Edelgard_,” she moaned as fingers dug into her thighs. She began to roll her hips in time with Edelgard licking her, slow at first but moving quickly soon enough. Edelgard gripped her hips to guide her, sometimes holding her still and sometimes letting her move while her breathing grew uneven.

“El,” Byleth moaned over and over. She panted, one hand fisted in the sheets and the other holding Edelgard’s hair. Her body tensed, and she let out a sobbing cry as she came. Edelgard continued to lap at her until she whimpered pitifully, kissing her thighs before sitting up. She smiled as she took in the sight of Byleth lying there trembling and breathing heavily with a dazed smile on her face.

“You’re so lovely, Byleth,” Edelgard said, running a hand up and down her leg.

Byleth laughed. “I’m sure I look like a mess right now.”

“Perhaps, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re lovely.”

She laughed again and beckoned Edelgard closer. When she had settled beside her, Byleth grinned, rolled Edelgard onto her stomach, and lay atop her to pin her. Breasts pressed against Edelgard’s back, she put her hands over Edelgard’s and laced their fingers together.

“What’s gotten into you?” Edelgard chuckled.

“I don’t know,” Byleth admitted. “I just wanted to be on top of you.” She kissed Edelgard’s cheek, moving down to kiss her back. “It’s nice.”

“To be on top of me?”

“A little.” She rolled Edelgard onto her back then, propping herself up on her forearms, arms down on either side of Edelgard’s shoulders. Idly, she played with Edelgard’s hair as she watched her eyes. It made Edelgard smile, and it eventually made her blush.

“You always look at me as though you plan on devouring me, my love,” she said, reaching up to set her hands on Byleth’s face. “Even now I wonder how it is you can look at me like that so often.”

Byleth smiled and turned her head to kiss her hands. Gently, she said, “I love you, Edelgard. That’s how.”

Though Edelgard went bright red, she laughed aloud and pulled Byleth down to kiss her. When Byleth moved a leg between hers, she wrapped her arms around her neck and hummed a soft tune.

“El,” Byleth said, starting to rock her leg in a steady rhythm, “teach me that song later.”

“What?”

“That song,” said Byleth. “You hum it when you’re happy. Teach it to me?”

Edelgard exhaled a laugh before ceasing to care if her breathing was steady. Quietly, she said, “All right. Tomorrow.” She held Byleth tight as she moved faster, harder. Gasps were drawn from her with each firm press of Byleth’s leg; moans followed each motion in and back. Byleth dipped her head down to kiss Edelgard’s neck, biting gently to coax faint whines from her.

“Byleth,” Edelgard panted, body starting to tense. She kissed her with heat, hand closed tight in her hair. Drawing away, she gasped, “My love, I—”

Her voice failed as she came, legs tightening around Byleth’s as she shook. The cry that left her was weak, only leaving her mouth when she had started to calm. She clung to Byleth, pulling her down on top of her completely to hide her face in the curve of her neck.

“That was a little faster than usual,” Byleth chuckled, nuzzling against her. “I guess tonight _is_ different.”

“Byleth?” Edelgard whispered.

“Yes?”

“I know you said to not look back tonight,” Edelgard said, “but…I would like you to know how lucky you make me feel after everything we’ve been through.”

Byleth rose up on her arms again, brows rising when she found Edelgard was crying. She leaned down to kiss some of the tears away, asking, “Why lucky, El?”

“Our lives could’ve been so different if we’d never met,” Edelgard said, smiling shakily, “but look at us. We’ve saved me from my crests, we’re rebuilding Fódlan, we’re going to defeat those who slither, and you’re _my wife_, Byleth. All because you chose me all those years ago.”

“And I’d do it again,” Byleth murmured. “I’ll always choose you, Edelgard.” She kissed her softly. “No matter what.”

“Just as I’ll always choose you, Byleth.” She pulled her down for another kiss, and they kept each other close for the rest of the night.


	4. The Aims of Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The duty of an emperor and empress: to keep safe the people and remove any threats to their wellbeing.
> 
> Or, the discovery of Shambhala, a march toward Garreg Mach, and information from old foes.

They had both expected their two day break to be interrupted by one thing or another, and thus were pleasantly surprised when they had both days entirely to themselves. It took another three days before anything interrupted their work, and Byleth had to hold down a sigh when the knight stationed outside her classroom let a messenger inside. The anxiety on the messenger’s face made her reconsider her exasperation.

“I beg—your pardon—your majesty,” the woman said, slightly red in the face and out of breath. “But her majesty the—the emperor said to—send the message here—as well.”

“Catch your breath first,” Byleth said. She nodded when Henryk stood up and brought his chair over for the woman to sit in. They waited for her breathing to even out, and she looked at Byleth once it had.

“The battalion that was stationed near the mountains in Hresvelg reported that a demonic beast emerged from the mountain stronghold,” she said, “led by three Agarthan mages. They tried to destroy the nearby town and would have succeeded had the battalion not been there.”

“Were any losses reported?” Byleth asked.

“Five soldiers,” the woman replied, “and twelve others injured badly enough to be on bed rest after being healed. A dozen townspeople died, another dozen injured.”

Byleth sighed, taking off her glasses to rub her eyes, and murmured, “Dammit.”

“Her majesty said to tell you that an emergency small council will be held this afternoon to let you finish the day’s lesson,” the woman said. “And that I was to report back to her with confirmation that you would attend.”

“I will,” said Byleth. “Thank you for bringing this message to me.”

“Of course, your majesty.” She stood and bowed, saying, “I’ll take my leave now.”

Byleth nodded, and she sighed again once the woman had gone.

“Professor, an attack on that town makes no sense,” Lenci said as Henryk brought his chair back to his desk. “There wasn’t anything of strategic value there.”

“There wasn’t anything aside from the stronghold itself, no,” Byleth said. She looked at each of them and asked, “What does your gut tell you about this?”

“They’re trying to provoke us,” said Maxsim. “Razing a little town for no reason? It’s like kicking a bear.”

“I agree,” Henryk said. “This is going to infuriate everyone, especially the people who wound up upset over the assassination attempt.”

“Professor,” Anahid said, “people are going to want the army to move.”

“We’d be taking shots in the dark,” Byleth said. She frowned, looking into the middle distance while she thought. After a moment, she said, “They want us spread thin trying to find them.” Her eyes narrowed as another thought came to her, and she said, “Or distract us from something else. Probably both at the same time.”

“Professor, we could study on our own if you need more time with her majesty or Count Bergliez,” Lenci said.

Byleth shook her head, saying, “The ministers will be working on how to send aid to that town. We need to take the time to discuss what may be happening to you as a result of this.”

“Do you mean with the new divisions, ma’am?” Henryk asked.

“I do. Count Bergliez will have no choice but to start deploying the new divisions in some capacity, and that means you four need to be prepared to lead.”

“How do you think we’ll be assigned, Professor?” Anahid asked. “You don’t think we’ll _all_ get squads to lead, do you?”

“It’s unlikely with where you are now. You would be sharing leadership of one or two squads with each other if I had to guess. But it’s up to Count Bergliez unless he says something I really disagree with.”

“No offense, Professor,” Maxsim said with a sheepish grin, “but it’s _so weird_ having the empress as our professor now.”

“Nothing has changed but my title, Max,” Byleth replied. “I was your professor first and I plan on being your professor until you graduate.” When they looked at her blankly, she said, “Other than supplementary lessons in your second and third years, you stay with one professor during your time here. Did you not know that?”

“I hadn’t heard it, but I’m happy to hear it now,” Anahid said, grinning as the others did the same.

“Good,” Byleth chuckled. “Now let’s review the authority techniques we started on last week until the day is out.”

“Yes, Professor,” they said, and they were diligent until the academy’s bells rang to end the day. They bowed to Byleth, letting her leave first. She went to the palace, her knight escort close behind, and went directly to the small council chamber. She was not at all surprised to see multiple knights standing guard outside the door, nodding to the knight who opened the door for her. Inside, Edelgard, Hubert, Ferdinand, and the other ministers were around the table, focused on a map of Adrestia spread out across the table’s surface.

“Count Bergliez, I understand the reason for your suggestion that we should evacuate the town, but where will they go?” Melis asked.

“I’m relying on you and Baron Ayral to figure that out,” Ervin replied, a frown on his face. “It’s suicide to let them stay there when more beasts may come out of the mountain.”

“We need to destroy the Warp mechanism to prevent that,” Ormand said. “If you direct the soldiers to focus on that—”

“Then they may be ambushed by another beast Warping in!”

“The answer to that is to send mages to suppress the Warp spell,” Edelgard said. “We need to think of the long term solution, not a quick fix. Making the townspeople evacuate will make them fearful their homes will be gone if another beast attacks.” She looked up as Byleth approached the table, asking, “Have you had a chance to think about this?”

“I have,” Byleth replied. “I’m worried they’re trying to spread us thin or distract us.”

“Distract us from what?” Esfir asked.

“I’m not sure. Them attacking somewhere else, maybe.” A thought came to her, and she quietly said, “Like Garreg Mach.”

“It would be difficult to reclaim it if they managed to seize it,” Ervin said. “I’m still waiting on another report from Pinelli’s mercenaries about the state of things.”

“If I may,” said Hubert, “this might be a distraction from Shambhala as well.”

“You finally determined the location?” Melis asked.

“Yes, and for better or worse it’s within Adrestia’s borders,” he replied. Looking between Byleth and Edelgard, he said, “Shambhala lies within the mountains in Hyrm, your majesties. Those who slither in the dark are likely trying to keep us from moving on their primary stronghold. Garreg Mach and other locations may be bait to lure us away from what should be our main target.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” Byleth said, “but we can’t just ignore them attacking the monastery or other towns and cities. The last thing we can afford to lose is the people’s confidence in us to protect them.”

“Understood, your majesty,” he said, bowing to her. “Then what do you recommend as our first course of action?”

Byleth looked to Edelgard. Once she had received a nod, she said, “We need to use the newer divisions as a forward guard stationed to defend major locations. Smaller towns should be prepared to move to cities temporarily. Marquis Vestra, were you able to get information about other strongholds with Warp mechanisms?”

“Yes, and fortunately there are only a handful spread across Adrestia. Shambhala, the stronghold in Hresvelg, and a third in Arundel are the main location. It appears they meant for the beasts to rampage from either side of the country.”

“Count Bergliez, please assign your second-most experienced battalions to Arundel to destroy the Warp mechanism,” Edelgard said. “The strike force and the most experienced battalions will take Hresvelg on the way to Shambhala.”

“_And_ check on Garreg Mach,” Byleth said. “I feel like we’re still missing _why_ they want Garreg Mach now.”

“Who in the strike force do you intend to have lead?” Ervin asked.

Byleth and Edelgard, glancing at each other, gave him a curious look. Byleth said, “The emperor and I.”

“I knew you’d say that,” he sighed.

“Your majesty—for both of you to go,” Esfir stammered, “it’s—”

“No different from when I fought during the war,” Edelgard said. “We will not sit by while the people are in danger, and I will not be denied the opportunity to end those who slither.”

“If I may be direct, your majesty?” Ervin said.

“You may.”

“Will you and the empress be effective combatants?”

“Byleth has been an effective combatant since the mission in Hresvelg,” said Edelgard, “and I have been training with her and the other members of the strike force since having my second crest removed to regain my strength. We will be fine.”

“I’m loathe to admit it,” Melis said, “but people will be reassured by you two going.”

“Who will remain in Enbarr?” Ormand asked. “Will all of the strike force go?”

“Ah, you mean to ask if either Hubert or myself will stay,” Ferdinand said. “While I am not opposed to staying in the city, I must admit I would like to see the end of those who slither.”

“What is your directive, your majesty?” Hubert asked, eyes on Edelgard.

“I know this isn’t something either of you really want to hear,” Edelgard said, “but I need you both to stay here until we know we’ve cornered them in Shambhala.”

“Is there a specific reason?” he asked. “The ministers are perfectly capable of leading the city on their own.”

“Because we will not take our relics with us,” she replied. “I will not feel safe leaving them under anyone else’s care while those who slither may be about, and once we have them cornered we will send for you both.”

“I see,” he said quietly. “Then I suppose it is my duty to see that Enbarr and the relics remain safe until you summon us. Much though I dislike the notion of letting you go without us.”

“Thank you, Hubert,” she said.

“I’ll keep the most experienced battalions left here to protect things,” Ervin said. He thought. “The new divisions…I’d intended to assign your students to lead a squad of twenty. I’ll be asking all the professors this, so I’ll ask you now. Where do you recommend I station them?”

“Let them come with us,” Byleth said. “We’ll station them with the soldiers we leave at Garreg Mach while we move on to Shambhala.”

“Understood, your majesty. I’ll begin preparations to have the battalions ready to march.”

“How long before you can move out?” Melis asked.

“Two weeks minimum, but we’ll see if we can keep it to just that.”

“Then we’ll prepare aid to march with the party going to Hresvelg,” Ormand said.

“I’ll work on a missive to go out to the impacted cities and towns,” Edelgard said.

“And I’ll work with the strike force and my students to get them prepared,” said Byleth.

“Your majesties,” Esfir said, “is this a declaration of war?”

They all looked to Edelgard. She exhaled slowly, a faint frown on her face.

“I will not declare war again in my reign unless absolutely necessary,” she said. “If we can’t stop them in their tracks and finish them off quickly, I will reconsider.”

The ministers grew quiet; Melis, Ormand, and Esfir closed their eyes and let out sighs of relief.

“It would be very difficult to sell another war so shortly after we finished the last one,” Melis said. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“I almost would have preferred a war in the shadows with them,” Edelgard said. “It would have put fewer people in danger. But as things stand, we must defeat Nemesis and the Agarthans as quickly as possible.”

“We will bring an end to them, your majesty,” said Hubert. “Without fail.”

Edelgard nodded, but there was a trace of a question in her eyes when she looked at Byleth. When Byleth nodded, a small smile on her face, some of the tension in her shoulders lessened.

————

The march out of Enbarr was subdued, subject to no fanfare. The citizens watched them go with somber expressions; Ervin, Ferdinand, and Hubert saluted them as they passed through the city gate. Byleth and Edelgard rode at the middle of everything, unwilling to use a carriage as they went. Unused to the weight of her own crown, Byleth kept reaching up to adjust it until Edelgard brought her horse close enough to catch her hand.

“They’re designed to stay where they are,” Edelgard said with a rueful smile. “Don’t worry.”

“All right,” Byleth sighed, lowering her hand.

“Are you worried, my love?”

“A little,” she admitted. “I’m glad you’re not going to use Aymr, but it’s kind of nerve-racking to not have our relics with us.”

“I know what you mean,” said Edelgard. “But I think it’s in our best interests to not even have the temptation of using them. I would fear for your health after what you told me about using the Sword of the Creator in Hresvelg before.”

“And I’d be scared about you using Aymr after removing a crest,” Byleth murmured, squeezing her hand. “The last thing we need right now is to worry about each other like that mid-battle.”

“Then it’s good that we both had new weapons forged before we marched,” Edelgard said in turn, and she kept hold of Byleth’s hand until they made camp for the night. The atmosphere in the camp was as subdued as when they marched out of Enbarr, and even the songs sung over dinner were restrained and thoughtful. Led by Anahid, the songs were of soldiers who died in the face of duty and the remaining soldiers’ resolve to fulfill that duty.

On marches during the previous war, Byleth had kept her hands away from Edelgard out of propriety. Then, as they sat with the Black Eagles around a fire, she put an arm around Edelgard’s shoulders while they listened to the soldiers sing. Edelgard leaned against her, able to rest her head on Byleth’s shoulder because they’d taken off their crowns for the day.

“I wonder if it was truly wise to have Hubert and Ferdinand stay behind for now,” Edelgard said quietly when they retired to their tent for the night. “I’m not used to being without them.”

“You were right about needing them to stay to guard the relics,” Byleth said. “And it’s best that they’re there to keep an eye on the council for a bit.” She kissed Edelgard gently and said, “It’ll be all right. Once we have the Agarthans cornered, we’ll have the two of them summoned.”

“I can only hope we can resolve this before it escalates,” Edelgard sighed. “I do not want to truly go to war again in my reign.”

“I know,” Byleth murmured. She kissed her again, guiding her to their narrow cot. When they had settled, she asked, “When do you think we can abdicate?”

“Not until we’ve fully dismantled the power structure of the nobility,” Edelgard said with a heavy sigh. “I want no power left to the name ‘von Hresvelg’ when we leave our crowns behind.” Cuddling close, she said, “I would prefer to take your name when we retire, my love.”

“Eisner?”

“Yes. Byleth and Edelgard Eisner. I think it has a very nice ring to it. As does Adelaide Eisner.”

Byleth smiled and draped an arm over Edelgard’s side, saying, “I like it, El.”

“What do you think of us having her once we settle things? And getting things started when we get back to Enbarr?”

“Really?”

“Yes. I finally feel back to normal and I would like to start our family once everything has calmed down.” She chuckled and said, “And admittedly, I would prefer _having_ her while we still have access to the healers in the palace.”

“That sounds good,” Byleth murmured, kissing Edelgard’s brow. “But let’s get some rest now. We need to be ready.”

“Of course, my love,” Edelgard said, kissing the hollow of Byleth’s throat before settling against her.

They managed to sleep soundly that night, ready to march early in the morning. They all went on in this way as they marched to the town in Hresvelg, and the sight of destroyed buildings and haggard people when they arrived made the somber atmosphere deepen. All eyes turned to Byleth and Edelgard then, and they did not hesitate.

“Mages and armored knights with me!” Byleth said. “We’re heading into the mountain!”

“Flying units, survey the north side of the mountain!” Edelgard said. “The rest of us will form a line between the mountain and the town should anything be Warped in!” She nodded to Byleth, gesturing for the soldiers to follow their orders. The pegasus and wyvern knights took to the air, heading toward the mountain as the mages and armored knights followed Byleth on foot. Lysithea, Lenci, Caspar, and Maxsim were closest to her, Caspar and Maxsim easily keeping pace despite their heavy armor. Maxsim kept both Lysithea and Lenci from slipping on the craggy hill as they climbed, nodding to them when they thanked him.

“Lysithea,” Byleth said as they entered the tunnel to the cave, “how close do you need to be to suppress a Warp mechanism? It’s on the other side of the cave—about three hundred feet.”

“Less than fifty feet,” Lysithea replied. “The closer the better.”

“All right.” She put a finger to her lips when they reached the cave proper, the mages and knights going silent as the gesture was passed along. Within the cave, the lights on the walls and building flickered. When the lights were strong, Byleth could see that several buildings had been destroyed, crashed through by something enormous. When the lights were weak, every sound in the cave was painfully amplified.

Every breath from the soldiers, every drip of water from stalactites overheard was piercing, grating. Byleth ignored it and stared into the darkness to where she knew the Warp mechanism was. It was entirely dark, and so she thought quickly.

“We’ll take point,” she said, looking at Lysithea, Lenci, Caspar, and Maxsim. To the mages and knights, she said, “Once Lysithea and Lenci start suppressing the mechanism, you need to start breaking it apart. Each mage gets a knight—mages break the spells, knights break the mechanism itself.”

“Yes ma’am,” was the unified response. She nodded to them all, leading them down into the rubble-strewn streets. Nothing came to stop them, and Caspar and Maxsim moved to plant themselves and their tower shields between them and the Warp mechanism. Lysithea and Lenci moved to stand behind them, finding stable footing and settling there.

“Any signs of magic, little bear? Maxsim asked, looking over his shoulder at Lenci.

“Just ours,” she replied.

“Follow my lead, Lenci,” Lysithea said, raising her hands and casting a spell. Lenci cast the same spell, and points of silvery-red light appeared at their hands and the four corners of the mechanism. The floor shifted beneath them; the mechanism cracked in places.

“Everyone get to work!” Byleth said. “Don’t make them hold the spell for long!”

The mages and knights set to work, shattering the spell bindings before destroying the carvings that housed them. Lysithea and Lenci held the suppression steady while Caspar and Maxsim stood fast before them. Byleth stood behind them, looking back into the dark they’d come through. The lights continued to flicker, and still nothing appeared from the shadows. Byleth kept her hand on her sword regardless, and she drew it when she heard metal keening behind her.

The silvery-red light on Lysithea and Lenci’s hands was flaring, the remaining carvings on the mechanism all aglow in red. The mages and knights made to run off the mechanism, but Caspar lifted and slammed his shield down to startle and stop them.

“Her majesty said to not make them hold the spell long!” Maxsim said. “Don’t run, keep destroying that thing!”

The force in his voice made them obey at once, Lysithea and Lenci shaking as they held the spell in place. A great crack sounded when the last bit of bound carving was destroyed, the mechanism breaking in multiple places as Lysithea and Lenci released the spell. Byleth moved to brace Lysithea as Maxsim did the same with Lenci.

“How many times did they try to Warp something in?” Byleth asked.

“Twice,” Lysithea said, rubbing her hands. “We’re lucky they didn’t try a third time.”

“Thank you for keeping them working, Max,” Lenci said. “If we’d needed to hold it much longer, our magic might’ve run out.”

“So that’s it?” Caspar asked. “That’s the end of this thing?”

“It should be,” Lysithea said, and she climbed onto the broken metal. Byleth followed, steadying her as she went. It earned her a frown from Lysithea, who said, “Professor, I’m _fine_. I don’t need help walking any—”

The cave rumbled around them, pitching several mages and knights off their feet. Byleth and Lysithea kept each other upright, Caspar and Maxsim holding onto their shields while Lenci clutched Maxsim’s arm for balance.

“Everyone out!” Byleth shouted. “_Now_!”

The mages and knights scrambled to obey, running for the tunnel out of the cave. Byleth ran at the rear of the group, shouting for them to run “_faster, dammit_” when she heard stone crashing down upon metal. As they reached the slope out of the cave, the sound of stone crashing had grown deafening. The cave rumbled again, dropping her to one knee just before the tunnel. A boulder fell just behind her, missing her coat by inches, and Byleth ran for the tunnel.

The tunnel was open before her, but collapsed as she ran through. She meant to keep running when she reached daylight, but Caspar grabbed her and pulled her behind his shield. A painful flare of heat made her turn, made her look up, and she stared at the sky.

High above, their flying units were locked in combat with a bird-like demonic beast and two score of black wyvern riders. While several of the black wyvern riders were focused on the, pinning them with Fire and Thunder, Byleth saw a few more giving chase to a white wyvern she recognized even at a distance. The fact that she could see two riders in its saddle made her gut go cold.

“Mages, we have to return fire!” Byleth shouted. “Give us a shield so we can cast! Lysithea, aim for the beast’s wings! Lenci, take down as many of the riders on us as you can!”

A group of mages took on the brunt of casting ward spells atop the knights’ shields, letting Lysithea and Lenci stand. Lenci fired bolt after bolt of Thoron to tear through riders as Lysithea concentrated. An image of the moon appeared next to the beast as she cast Luna, and the beast screeched when it noticed. Lysithea gestured; the moon became a black hole, tearing off most of the beast’s left wing. Screeching, it plummeted to the ground.

“_Archers_!” was the shout from Edelgard below.

At once, a great volley of arrows flew into the sky. As almost all of the black wyverns fell, Edelgard took a throwing axe from a foot soldiers, aimed, and threw it with precision and force enough to nearly decapitate the last black wyvern rider chasing the white wyvern. She winced as she lowered her arm, rolling her shoulder and flexing her elbow and wrist.

“Fall back!” she shouted to the riders on the white wyvern, pointing to the mages. “The rest of you—_forward_!”

Byleth charged down the hill, Caspar on her heels and Maxsim at his side. She saw Anahid and Henryk leading the charge below, Anahid gaining ground quickly. She reached the beast first of them all, plunging her sword into its undamaged wing. The beast screamed, but she leapt back as it flailed. Henryk darted in, stabbing his lance into the same wound and wrenched to tear into the beast’s wing.

“Don’t let it thrash!” Byleth shouted to them. “Break its balance first!”

One of the soldiers under the students’ lead leapt in with a shout toward one of the beast’s feet, axe raised high. Anahid grabbed him and yanked him back just as the beast tried to bite his head off. Henryk stabbed at the beast’s eyes, driving its beak back.

“Get to its tail!” he said. “Ana and I will take its foot! _Max_!”

“On it!” Maxsim said, peeling away to head for the beast’s tail. They converged on the beast all at once: Byleth and Caspar on one foot, Anahid and Henryk on the other, and Maxsim and the soldiers on the tail. The beast could not thrash on any side without being struck on another, screeching all the while. Limbs broken and wings destroyed in mere minutes, it made a final attempt to snap at Byleth when she stepped back.

With a war cry unchanged from the days of the last war, Edelgard charged in and sank her axe deep into the beast’s neck. It began to choke on its own blood, and it dropped dead to the ground only moments later. The battlefield went silent but for the sound of wind and breaths being caught. Byleth looked at Edelgard, moving to meet her when she nodded. They went back to the line of mages and knights on the hill, Byleth gesturing for them to lower their weapons and arms.

“Seteth,” Edelgard said. “Flayn. I did not expect to see you again after Byleth let you flee.”

Seteth, gripping his stomach below a magical burn Lenci was healing, grimaced. He said, “It was not my first choice, your majesty.”

“Your majesty, please,” Flayn said, reaching to touch Edelgard’s arm. “Please listen to what we have to say first before—before you cast judgment.”

Edelgard boggled at her. She said, “Cast judgment for what? Byleth spared you—I will not overturn her decision now when you were clearly being targeted by a common enemy.”

“Oh,” Flayn said faintly, a note of wondrous hope in her voice.

“The common foe is why we are here,” Seteth said. “Your majesty, are the rumors true? Did you put Rhea’s body in the mausoleum at Garreg Mach?”

“I had no other course of action,” Edelgard said. “The faithful wouldn’t allow for a common burial and I did not want to desecrate her corpse by burning it.” She sighed and muttered, “Enemy though she was.”

“At this point, it might have been better if you _had_ cremated her body,” said Seteth. He sighed shakily when the burn was healed, saying, “Thank you, young lady.”

“Why would _you_ say a cremation would be better?” Byleth asked.

“Because of what our enemy means to do with her body,” Flayn said.

“Which is what?”

“Make new relic weapons,” Seteth replied. When they only looked at him in confusion, he said, “Relics are made from the bodies of children of the goddess, or the goddess herself. The Sword of the Creator was forged from the bones of the goddess, and I’m sure your axe Aymr was from another of my kin, your majesty.”

For a moment, neither Byleth nor Edelgard moved. Then, they turned to each other with pale faces and grim expressions.

“Your concern about the beast attacks being a distraction was well founded, my love,” Edelgard said.

“I wish it wasn’t,” Byleth sighed. She looked to the students, Caspar, and Lysithea, saying, “Get everyone ready to march. We have to get to Garreg Mach as soon as possible.”

“Yes, your majesty,” they said, heading off to give orders.

“Professor,” Seteth began, but he amended himself to say, “your—majesty. Your majesties. Will you allow us to assist you in stopping these—_defilers_? I feel both of you must have no love in your hearts for us now, but I cannot stand to see Rhea’s body picked over like a carcass beneath a vulture.”

“What will you do if I refuse your aid?” Edelgard asked. “As things stand, you opposed us during the war and may be out for revenge.”

“Your majesty,” said Flayn, “all we want is to live in peace like the professor intended. We just want to help so we can do that.”

Edelgard sighed, glanced at Byleth as she nodded slightly, and said, “I understand. I thank you for your assistance in this.”

There was relief in Seteth’s smile when Byleth offered him a hand. He took it, letting her pull him to his feet, and looked between her and Edelgard as he said, “Thank you, your majesties. We will repay your good faith.”

Edelgard nodded, and she asked, “Are you and your mount able to fly on the march, or do you need time to walk and recover?”

“It’s best if we walk for a bit,” he replied. “Thank you for your courtesy.”

“Meet with Leonie to find a place on the ground,” Byleth said. “We have to march within the hour.”

“Understood. Flayn, come with me.”

Flayn nodded, but paused to bow to Byleth and Edelgard, saying, “Thank you, your majesties. We won’t let you down.”

She and Seteth went to ward the assembling troops then, their wyvern dutifully following. Byleth and Edelgard reached for each other’s hands in the same moment, fingers bumping before they found their grip and held tight.

“This is not a development I was expecting,” Edelgard murmured, looking at Byleth with a twist in her mouth. “To think my Aymr was made from the bodies of _people_.”

“Makes me glad I can’t really use the sword anymore,” Byleth said, grimacing as well. “Now we need to get to Garreg Mach even sooner.”

“Agreed. Come along, my love.”

Byleth nodded and followed her lead to the waiting troops. When they began to march again, it was beneath a sky filling with dark, heavy clouds.


	5. The Siege of Garreg Mach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nature of warfare: to rout the enemy without one’s own forces falling prey to weakness or death.
> 
> Or, the strength inherent in some, the moments of weakness between battles, and the end of the siege of Garreg March and the long battle against Those Who Slither in the Dark.

The weeks marching to Garreg Mach were spent going in and out of summer storms, ensuring their boots were always caked in mud and their clothes never dried out completely. Despite it, not a soul among them grumbled for discomfort as they went. The songs they began to sing were brighter, full of purpose and vigor. When they left the county of Varley to march along the Airmid River, the skies were clear enough to see the mountains and Garreg Mach in the distance, and their spirits were high for it. Leonie and Seteth flew on ahead when they were half a day’s march from the monastery, returning at dusk to report.

“They had to deal with beasts just last week,” Leonie said. “Kept them on the hills and away from the walls, but still.”

“The mercenaries reported that it was the closest the beasts have ever come to the monastery,” Seteth added. “Their strength is dwindling, your majesties—they’re down to fifty-seven men.”

“We’ll march through the night, then,” Byleth said. “We can manage it once during this.”

“I’ll go let everyone know, Professor,” Caspar said, heading off at a brisk pace.

“Prof—your majesty,” Flayn said, “the monastery’s food stores must running low as well.”

“We’ll set up supply running patterns once we see how things are,” Byleth said. “I’m sure we’re going to be facing a siege.”

“Supplies will need to come from Varley, for the most part,” Edelgard said. “Bernadetta, once we arrive at the monastery, you and I will need to write orders for the runners to take.”

“O-oh, of course!” Bernadetta replied. “Um, I _did_ read some reports that said the county had a surplus of some crops and livestock this year, so it should be okay.” She laughed, a note of anxiety in the sound, and said, “I’m glad I looked at reports before I went to Hresvelg for that mission before.”

“Thank you for doing that,” Edelgard said, smiling.

With the storm clouds briefly parted, their last march to Garreg Mach was illuminated by the stars and a half-full moon. Though it grew cold enough for their breath to be visible, the march kept them warm enough that no one’s teeth chattered. They had the briefest glimpse of the dawn, but new storm clouds quickly rolled in as they arrived on the monastery’s grounds proper.

“Your majesties!” said a haggard man wearing an armband with the mark of Leonie’s mercenary troop, coming up to them at a jog. “We didn’t expect to see you at dawn after Captain Leonie came and—no, I mean thank you. Thank you for coming to help.”

“We could do no less than that,” Edelgard said. “I assume there were no changes during the night?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said. “Everyone’s still accounted for and we were starting in on making breakfast. I’ll go and tell our cooks to make more for you and your soldiers.” Though he looked at the strike force and all the soldiers behind them with a smile, there was anxiety in his eyes.

“We’ll send runners to Varley for supplies before the day is out,” Byleth said. “Don’t worry.”

“Thank you,” he said with a sigh. “We were getting close to relying on the fishing pond for meat—it’s been too risky to go hunt.”

“The beast attacks have been that frequent?”

“We’re lucky if we go a week without one. We _had been_ lucky with only one or two of them coming at a time, but last week was three beasts and a dozen soldiers on wyverns.”

“You were right, your majesty,” Seteth said, mouth twisted in a grimace as he looked at Byleth. “They do intend to lay siege to the monastery.”

“They want Rhea’s body, I’m sure,” Edelgard said. “At this point, I believe it’s prudent to have Hubert, Ferdinand, and whoever Count Bergliez can spare summoned here.”

“You’re right,” Byleth said. “I can write that message while you and Bernadetta work on yours.” She turned to the man and asked, “Is there anywhere our soldiers can rest until food is ready?”

“There are some dormitory rooms that’re empty, but there’s plenty of space in the dining hall and classrooms, ma’am.”

“As long as we have a spot to rest our heads, we’ll be all right.” She turned to the strike force then, saying, “Dorothea, Petra, Linhardt, take the lead in getting everyone a space to settle down. The sooner you’re done, the more everyone can rest.”

“Gladly, Professor,” Dorothea said, following Petra as she headed for the soldiers with Linhardt trailing behind them both.

“Are any of your men in the faculty offices?” Edelgard asked. “Or the library?”

“No, your majesty. They’re too far from the gate for our liking.”

“Then we’ll work there,” she said. “Bernadetta, please follow me.”

“I’ll be there in a bit, Edelgard,” said Byleth. “I want to help get our soldiers settled.”

“All right. We’ll start working ahead of you.”

“I’ll go get that order about breakfast relayed,” the mercenary said. “And—and really, thank you again.” He bowed to them before hurrying off, Leonie following with Lysithea close behind. Edelgard beckoned for Bernadetta to follow her away, leaving Byleth to head off in the same direction as Dorothea, Petra, and Linhardt. She joined Linhardt at the back of the group as the soldiers headed for the dining hall, keeping an eye on the gate as it closed.

The new division soldiers and her students were the most exhausted of all of them, the new soldiers falling asleep the moment Petra had directed them into rows. Though Anahid made an attempt to help Dorothea with the other soldiers, Dorothea raised a brow at her, and then at Maxsim. He stood up from the space he’d settled in with Henryk and Lenci and came over to unceremoniously drag Anahid back with him. They, too, fell asleep in less than a minute, Lenci moving to curl up against Anahid’s side before drifting off.

“That reminds me of our class’s first march through the night,” Dorothea said to Byleth, gesturing to the students. Chuckling, she added, “Especially the cuddling.”

“I remember catching you doing that with Petra after most of those marches,” Byleth said with a smile.

“It was always best to wake up next to her through all of that,” Dorothea said as she toyed with her necklace. “But it was just as comforting to have the rest of the strike force there.”

“Did you ever think we’d be back at Garreg March preparing for another battle?”

“Professor, I’d honestly hoped to never see any more battles after the war ended.” Weariness in her smile, she said, “If I didn’t love you and Edie so dearly, Petra and I would be back in Brigid by now.”

“I’m sorry,” Byleth murmured. “We’re asking a lot of both of you.”

“It’s all right. We wouldn’t abandon you now.” She smiled warmly and, teasing in her voice, said, “You can make it up to us by bringing us an extravagant present to our wedding.”

“We can do that,” Byleth chuckled. “Thank you, Dorothea.” Turning, she added, “Get some rest. I’m going to get those messages to Enbarr written.”

“All right, Professor,” Dorothea replied, waving slightly as Byleth headed off.

The rain resumed as Byleth reached the main hall, chasing her inside. The downpour was audible through the roof as she made her way to the second floor. Though she meant to go down the central hallway, the sight of the audience chamber’s doors standing open made her pause. She went inside, soon finding Seteth and Flayn standing outside Rhea’s office. The sight of grief on their faces made her attempt to retreat silently, but the wet heels of her boots squeaked when she turned. Seteth and Flayn both jumped, exhaling shakily when they saw Byleth.

“Sorry,” Byleth said, holding up her hands with a sheepish expression. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s all right, Prof—your majesty,” Flayn said.

“You can call me ‘Professor,’ Flayn,” Byleth said, smiling. “Everyone does. Beside, you _were_ one of my students.”

“O-oh, thank you.”

“Aren’t you going to get some rest, though? You both look exhausted.”

“We will, your majesty,” Seteth replied. “We just wanted a moment.”

“All right,” Byleth said, starting to turn. “I’ll let you be.”

Though Seteth bowed to her, Flayn said, “Professor, may I make a request?”

“Flayn, _no_, we discussed this,” Seteth said quickly.

“Father, maybe the professor will listen!”

“As opposed to Edelgard?” Byleth asked.

Seteth sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He said, “We don’t mean to insult her. But…may we ask something of you?”

“What is it?”

“We would like to read funeral rites for Rhea before her body is cremated,” he said. “It will be…difficult to see her cremated, but it will help us if we were allowed to read her her final rites.”

Her throat tightened, a swell of an emotion she could not name rising in her chest. She pushed all of it down, pushed it away, and said, “All right.”

Flayn’s eyes lit up as she said, “_Really_, Professor?”

“Yeah. This way it’ll actually be like a cremation instead of just burning a corpse.”

“You would let us do this despite Rhea’s actions?” Seteth asked.

Again, the nameless emotion rose in her chest. She ignored it and said, “I don’t want anything to do with Rhea anymore. So her getting put to rest properly is better.” Smiling wearily, without a shred of humor, she added, “I want this over with, Seteth. I’ve lived with her over my head my whole life even when I didn’t know it. We’ll both get closure this way.”

“We will,” he said, and his smile was just as weary. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“I’ll go talk to Edelgard,” she said. “You can stay for a while, but please go get some rest.”

“We will,” Flayn said, and she and Seteth bowed as she said, “Thank you, Professor. Truly.”

Byleth nodded, turning and leaving the audience chamber. She made her way to the library, pausing a moment at the door to Jeralt’s old office. Edelgard and Bernadetta were sitting together at a table in the library, both writing on pieces of paper. She could see Bernadetta struggling to not nod off, teeth grit as she wrote and swayed where she sat. Bernadetta finished signing the paper as Byleth sat down on the opposite side of the table.

“Is this all right, Professor?” Bernadetta asked, holding the paper out.

Byleth took it and read it through. Nodding, she said, “It’s perfect, Bernadetta, thank you. Go ahead and get some rest with the others.”

“Thank you,” Bernadetta replied, sighing heavily. She stood, stretched, and left the library humming a soft lullaby tune.

“I’ll have mine done shortly, my love,” Edelgard said, and she hid a yawn behind her hand. “I hadn’t realized how much I relied on the power of two crests until now. To think I used to make marches like this without getting tired at all.”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry. But I’m certain I’ll fall asleep quickly when we settle somewhere.”

“I could use some sleep,” Byleth said, taking a piece of paper for her message to Enbarr. She stopped short, though, and looked up at Edelgard. “El?”

“Yes?”

“Seteth and Flayn want to read Rhea funeral rites before we burn her body.”

“And they assumed I’d say ‘no,’” Edelgard said with a wry smile. When Byleth nodded, she sighed faintly and said, “Personally, my answer _is_ no. She deserves a respectful cremation, but I don’t see why she deserves proper funeral rites. What did you tell them?”

“I said they could.”

“Did you mean it?”

Byleth hesitated. Quietly, she admitted, “I don’t know. I just want everything about her to go away.”

“My love,” Edelgard said, looking at her, “how do you feel about Rhea after all that she’s done?”

Again, she hesitated. She thought, rubbing her chest as the emotion swelled once more. The emotion’s name finally came to her, and she said, “I guess…I hate her. It’s not the same as what I feel for the girl who killed my father, but it’s still hate.”

“Then why let them read her rites?” Edelgard asked, reaching across the table to set a hand on hers.

“Because it feels like it’s not going to be settled if they don’t.” She thought further. “And…I feel like Sothis would be happier if Rhea was put to rest properly.”

Edelgard sighed, rubbing Byleth’s knuckles. Softly, she said, “You have always been more merciful than me, Byleth. Even when you admit to hating Rhea, you would give Seteth and Flayn the opportunity to mourn her.” She lifted Byleth’s hand to kiss her fingers. “They may read her her rites. And if you would like to listen to them for closure’s sake…for the goddess’s sake…I’m willing to join you.”

All at once, Byleth’s throat closed up. A thought of Sothis came to her, setting her eyes to burning. She cleared her throat, blinked hard, and said, “Thank you, El. I’ll ask them when they’ll read her rites so we can go.”

“Of course,” Edelgard murmured, and she kissed Byleth’s palm.

————

The rainclouds parted briefly before sunset, and when Seteth came to her after dinner Byleth knew his request without a word. She looked at Edelgard, who nodded, stood, and went around the hall to gather mages. She did not go to Lysithea, and Lysithea shook her head at Lenci when she looked to her in confusion. None of the other members of the strike force to the students volunteered to go with them, and Petra went to sit and speak with the students when she saw their baffled expressions.

The procession that made its way from the dining hall to the cathedral was silent, headed by Seteth and Flayn. When a distant rumble of thunder rolled across the sky, they all walked faster. Within the cathedral, it was silent, empty, and uncomfortably cold for the summer. The mausoleum was even colder, several mages shivering until they cast handfuls of Fire for light and warmth.

Byleth had no memory of Rhea’s body being brought with them on the way back to Enbarr from Fhirdiad, each day having been spent in a pained haze. Seeing her body there, the fatal wound on her head prominent at every angle, made her go still. Edelgard felt it, and she squeezed her hand without speaking.

“Thank you again, your majesties,” Seteth said, a trace of strain in his voice as he looked at Rhea’s body. “I will recite Rhea’s last rites and let…and let the mages do their work.”

Byleth nodded, and she kept still to wait, to listen. Seteth was silent for another minute, conflict on his face and in his furrowed brow. He took a deep, slow breath, swallowed, and began to speak.

“Rhea,” he said quietly. He took another breath and raised his voice. “Rhea, daughter of Sothis. Progenitor’s daughter, mother of the church that housed and protected me, protected my daughter. You have left us now and returned to your mother’s side. You have left a hole in our hearts that may never be filled. Your life was long and full of great deeds.”

Closing his tear-filled eyes, he said, “Great deeds…and ones that could not be called ‘great.’ As we commend your spirit to the goddess for your eternal rest, we pray she will understand her wayward daughter and welcome her home one last time. We—we—” His voice failed entirely.

“We ask the goddess to give her grace in death,” Flayn said for him, “for her life was difficult in her final years.” She took a deep breath and said, “Our goddess, our mother, we send to you your daughter so that she may find rest after so long away from your side, sight, and guidance. Please open your arms to Rhea that she may finally rest and be at peace.”

Silence reigned in the mausoleum for a full five minutes before anyone even moved. It was Flayn who moved first, taking Seteth’s hand and nodding to Byleth. In turn, Byleth raised a hand as she looked to the mages. They moved forward to surround Rhea’s body, Fire in their hands.

“Let nothing remain,” Edelgard said, voice without edge. “Nothing but ash.”

The mages began to burn Rhea’s body, clear white smoke rising from it. Seteth and Flayn looked away, but Byleth and Edelgard watched as scale and flesh and bone were reduced down to ash and cinder. They stood in silence, Edelgard holding Byleth’s trembling hand, and waited for the fire to fade. When nothing remained but ash and scorching on the floor, Seteth and Flayn turned to look at Byleth.

“Thank you, Professor,” Flayn said quietly, voice raspy and tears flowing down her face.

“Yes,” Seteth said haltingly. “Thank—thank you. For letting us—say goodbye.”

Byleth, unable to trust her own voice, only nodded.

“We all need to get some rest,” Edelgard said. “Everyone back to the dining hall.”

“Yes, your majesty,” the mages chorused, and they led the way out of the mausoleum. Seteth and Flayn followed them, Byleth and Edelgard close behind. Rain was pouring when they left the cathedral; the mages ran on ahead of them in an attempt to not get soaked through. Though Seteth and Flayn picked up speed as well, Byleth kept the same pace. She gripped Edelgard’s hand tight as her eyes burned. She stopped them when they had stepped into the main hall, staring at Edelgard.

“Why do I feel this way?” she asked, voice cracking.

“Byleth?”

“I _hate_ her,” Byleth said. “I hate _this_—respecting her after everything. Why the hell did I agree to this?” Her voice broke, and she whispered, “Why couldn’t I just tell them _no_?”

“My love,” Edelgard said gently, setting her hands on Byleth’s face, “I don’t know. Mercy is a difficult thing to give to someone you hate, and you’re stronger than I am for giving them peace of mind like this.” She pulled Byleth down for a soft kiss. “You can be upset in front of me, Byleth. I’ll be the only one to see.”

Byleth grit her teeth, but bowed her head to cry against Edelgard’s shoulder all the same, rage and hate boiling in her chest. Edelgard held her through it, petting her soaked hair, and they only returned to the dining hall when there was nothing left in Byleth’s chest but her steadily beating heart.

————

The next attack on the monastery came only two days after their arrival, another three beasts appearing on the rain-drenched horizon late in the evening. By then, though, each soldier had been assigned a position and all were ready as the rain continued to pour. Flying units with mages as backup were sent out first when a bird-like beast was spotted, Leonie leading the charge with Lysithea behind her in the saddle. The beast fell to magic, its screeching lost in the rain.

Under the cover of the rain and the dark, Caspar and Petra led the way in a surprise attack on the Agarthan soldiers with the remaining beasts, tearing through the soldiers before the beasts’ attention could be fully drawn. Thunder and rain all around them, the strike force and their battalion took down one beast, and the students and their division took down the other. They all returned to the monastery without loss or major injury, the worst injuries being a few broken fingers for Caspar and Maxsim.

“Sorry, Professor,” Caspar said when they reported to Byleth and Edelgard. “Got a little too worked up in the dark.”

“It’s all right this time,” Byleth said, gesturing to Linhardt and Lenci. When they had gone to Caspar and Maxsim to start healing them, she said, “But it can’t happen again. We have to assume that this kind of attack will be common moving forward.”

“Yes ma’am,” Caspar and Maxsim said in unison, but Maxsim’s voice was much softer.

“You and the others get some rest,” Edelgard said. “The next shift will take watch now and we’ll go out to examine the beasts and soldiers tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Leonie said, bowing to her. She offered Lysithea her hand and took the lead out of the reception hall, up the stairs and back toward the dining hall. Byleth watched them go, and in doing so saw how the students deliberately walked slower, how Anahid led the others in a different direction at the top of the stairs.

“What are they doing?” she sighed.

Edelgard followed her gaze, smiling slightly as the students went out of sight. She said, “Your students choose to disobey at the strangest times, my love.”

“I’ll go get them,” Byleth said, starting toward the stairs. Though she meant to say something in parting, Edelgard followed her, reaching to take her hand to hold as they went.

“I’m curious to see what they’re so interested in,” she said. “Do they know the classrooms are this way?”

“I haven’t given them a tour, so unless they heard it from someone else, no.” She went with Edelgard to the classrooms, looking into the rooms once belonging to the Golden Deer and the Blue Lions and finding them to be empty. Near to the door to the Black Eagles’ old classroom was Anahid, standing outside and looking at the rain in the courtyard. She did not jump at the sound of their approaching footsteps, but moved to meet them away from the door.

“What are you doing out here?” Byleth asked. “Where are the others?”

“They’re in the classroom,” Anahid said quietly, looking over her shoulder. “They just…need a little while alone. Miss Dorothea mentioned the classrooms and I thought it’d be alone enough for them.”

“How much are they struggling?” Edelgard asked.

“They’ll be all right after this. They just need some quiet and the others are a little too much right now. Even for Max.”

“And what about you?” Byleth asked.

“I’m all right. Tired, but all right.” She glanced toward the classroom and said, “They need me to be all right, so I am.”

“Not many people can do that,” Edelgard said. “Simply _be_ all right for the sake of others.”

“It’d be different if they just wanted me to be all right, your majesty,” Anahid said. “I had enough of people wanting things from me a long time ago. But them actually _needing_ me to be something for them is…what _I_ need. I promise I’l get them back to the dining hall soon, your majesties. Before dinner is—”

“Ana?”

They turned, seeing Henryk at the door. He faltered upon seeing Byleth and Edelgard.

“What is it, Henryk?” Anahid asked. “It’s all right.”

“Lenci’s out of magic to cast Fire,” he said.

“I’m surprised there’s any firewood left in there,” Edelgard said.

“Your majesties, may I?” Anahid asked.

“Go ahead,” Byleth replied, and she and Edelgard followed the two of them into the classroom. Maxsim and Lenci were in front of the fireplace in the classroom, Maxsim slowly pacing and Lenci frowning at her shaking hands. They turned at the sound of footsteps, freezing up when they saw Byleth and Edelgard.

“It’s all right,” Anahid said as she went to the fireplace. She took off her gloves to cast Fire on the wood, forcing the flames to catch and grow quickly. When she straightened up, she tucked her gloves into one pocket.

“Sorry, your majesties,” said Maxsim. “We just—kinda needed a minute.”

“You may have one,” Edelgard replied, “so long as you will truly be all right once you’ve had it.”

“It’s just getting over _seeing_ those things, your majesty,” he said with a weak smile. “They’re way worse than we thought, but we’ll be okay.”

“All I can think about,” Lenci said, “is what happens if we lose.” She closed her hands into loose fists. “My family…they don’t know how to fight. Those beasts would—”

“Lenci,” Anahid said, “that’s why we can’t and _won’t_ lose.”

“Ana’s right,” Byleth said. “You can’t think about what happens if we lose.”

“I don’t want to, Professor,” Lenci said. “I’m trying _not_ to.” She rubbed her face. “I’m just—I guess…I’m glad I’m here. I’m glad I’m here and stopping this, and not sitting around being the good and proper girl my parents wanted.”

“And thanks for that,” Maxsim said. “We’d all be dead once over today without you.”

“When did you learn _Dark Spikes_, by the way?” Henryk asked.

“Miss Lysithea explained it on the march.”

“You two terrify me,” he laughed. “Thank the goddess you decided to not be the good and proper girl.”

“Yeah, you’re actually the best kind of girl,” Maxsim said with a grin. “The badass kind.”

Lenci burst into giggles, Henryk and Maxsim laughing as well. Smiling slightly, Anahid looked at Byleth and Edelgard, and her smile broadened when they nodded to her.

“We’ll com back to the dining hall soon, your majesties,” Anahid said. “Please go on ahead of us.”

“Very well,” Edelgard said. “Thank you, Anahid.”

Anahid bowed to her and to Byleth, straightening up as they left the classroom. Edelgard glanced over her shoulder when they were out of earshot, and she squeezed Byleth’s hand.

“My love,” she said, “are you at all worried about being a mother?”

“Of course I am. Aren’t you?”

“I am, but after seeing how the students you’ve raised have turned out, I’m much less nervous.” She chuckled and said, “You took four people who almost hated each other on sight and helped them grow into a family. Adelaide will be lucky to have you as one of her mothers.”

“I learned it from you, El.”

“What?”

“I learned it from watching how you made the Black Eagles into a family. Your new family.”

Edelgard went red. Quietly, she said, “I led them as a ruler, my love. I have you to thank for helping to make an environment for them to love each other as they do.”

“Maybe,” Byleth said, “but you’re more like their mother than you are their sister.”

She laughed faintly, saying, “So we’re mothers to several people around our age?”

“Guess so,” Byleth laughed. “Just don’t tell Hubert.”

Edelgard laughed again, far stronger, and pulled Byleth down for a kiss.

————

The first supply runners from Varley came a week after their arrival in a break in the rain, bearing enough food to make every soldier and mercenary cheer. They ate something at once, a hearty lunch of stew made by Maxsim and Henryk.

“Where on earth did those two learn how to cook like this?” Dorothea asked, the strike force and students eating at one table while Maxsim and Henryk passed out food.

“Max said he and his siblings have to cook because their mother’s hands don’t work well after an accident,” said Anahid. “And Henryk learned from _his_ mother when he was growing up.”

“They help in the dining hall at the academy a lot so they can make us treats for our study groups,” Lenci added. “Which is fortunate, because I don’t know how to cook at all.”

“I can teach you,” Anahid said with a small, warm smile.

“Speaking of which,” Dorothea said, “are queens allowed to cook for their wives in Brigid, Petra?”

“Yes, but your cooking is still terrible, my heart,” Petra said, a look of innocent and honest confusion on her face. “We will have cooks.”

“Petra,” Dorothea said, frowning slightly, “I will admit I’m not the best at cooking, but I’ll feel like a bit of a failure as a wife if I can’t cook you at least one good meal that you like.”

“I can be…I _can have_ one of the cooks teach you how to make it,” Petra said. “It is a meal made with deer meat. Venison. It is very delicious, but there are spices we use in Brigid that you cannot get in Fódlan.”

“And to think,” Dorothea said softly, reaching to take Petra’s hand, “we’ll finally be able to go there.”

“Yes,” Petra replied, turning their hands over to lace their fingers together. “The fighting will be done soon.”

“How soon do you think, Professor?” Caspar asked. “I don’t mind the action, but I want this to be over, too.”

“It depends,” Byleth replied. “If they really want this to be a battle of attrition, we could be pinned here for a month. But if Nemesis moves, we could break their command enough to rattle them and let us march on Shambhala to take out any remaining beasts.”

“If Shambhala is where they’re housing the beasts, they can’t have had a massive amount of beasts in waiting,” Edelgard said. “I can’t imagine them controlling a large number of beasts in a confined space, no matter how large the space is.”

“And they probably can’t create them quickly unless they use their own people now,” Byleth said. “It can’t be easy to capture people to bring back there without active Warp mechanisms.” She drummed her fingers on the table as she thought. “It’s risky…but we could capture one of the soldiers in the next attack to get them to deliver a message back to Nemesis.”

“We’ll have to see,” Edelgard said. She spared a glance as Maxsim and Henryk approached, bowls of stew in hand, before eating a spoonful of her own.

“There’s enough left for a few people to have extra,” Henryk said as he sat down.

“I get one extra,” Maxsim said, but he stopped short behind Lysithea. He peered at the top of her head, and then said, “Miss Lysithea, how’d you get _ink_ on your head?”

Lysithea dropped her spoon. Pale, wide-eyed, she looked at him and said, “What?”

“You’ve got a black spot in your hair right at the top of your head. How’d you get ink there?”

“My hair’s _black_?” She turned to Leonie, who was already taking to her feet. Maxsim moved out of her way, looking baffled, and watched Leonie look closely at Lysithea’s hair.

“It’s really black, Lys,” Leonie said. “Right where your hair starts growing.”

“My hair’s going back to normal,” Lysithea said faintly. She looked at Edelgard, who looked at Byleth. In turn, Byleth stood up to check the top of Edelgard’s head. The roots of her hair were brown, starkly contrasted to the rest of her white hair.

“Brown,” Byleth said, brows rising. “Your hair’s coming in brown, El.”

A soft, disbelieving laugh fell from Edelgard’s lips. Smiling, she said, “My hair might be completely brown by the time I have Adelaide. She’ll never see me as—anything but me.”

“It’s going to look lovely, Edie,” Dorothea laughed. “And you’ll look good in black, Lys.”

Lysithea laughed, and again when Leone sat down and kissed her cheek. Byleth took a moment to kiss Edelgard’s hair before sitting down, and Edelgard took her hand when she’d settled.

———

The sun had been out for four straight days when the next attack came, turning the ground solid and letting them see the four beasts and the the two score of foot soldiers with them at a far distance along the Airmid River. All their soldiers assembled at the gate of the monastery, Byleth and Edelgard standing atop the gate wall to address them.

“Remember that we need to capture one of the soldiers alive!” Byleth said. “If we can send back a message to Shambhala, we may be able to draw our enemy out!”

“Do not act hastily!” Edelgard said. “Only incapacitate one of the foot soldiers if you can draw them away from the beasts—do not attempt to capture anyone while you’re within a beast’s range! A battalion to each beast, and flying and ranged units are to pin down the foot soldiers! Bring these creatures down and we’re one step closer to victory and peace!”

The soldiers roared, “Yes, your majesties!” as one before heading through the gate. Overhead, Leonie and Seteth led the pegasus knights and wyvern riders out ahead, keeping out of any mage’s range as the soldiers caught up with them. Though they carried their weapons, Byleth and Edelgard kept to the back of the marching column and stopped at a distance. As the screeching and bellowing of the demonic beasts grew louder, the soldiers looked at them.

“All forces advance!” Byleth said, pointing her sword forward.

The soldiers roared again and charged. Above, Leonie and Seteth saw the charge and led one of their own, diving down to land blows on two beasts’ heads. The beasts screamed, drawing attention. In the moment that the Agarthan soldiers turned, the mages, led by Lysithea and Dorothea, cast enough Fire to create a whirlwind of flame. The Agarthans scattered, and as they did Lysithea banished the fire.

The strike force and the students ran through the broken line, the battalions hot on their heels. They reached the beasts in seconds, flowing apart to converge again at the beasts’ limbs. The Agarthan soldiers tried to move to retaliate, but the riders above rained down arrows and javelins as the mages cast spells.

Off balance from the start, the beasts could not react quickly to attacks on all limbs and sides. Still, the two that had not been struck at the start found the strength to thrash before their limbs were smashed. Several soldiers went flying, screaming from pain and fright alike. The force they hit the ground with cut their screaming short. Some of the soldiers in the new divisions froze, and one stood in the path of a beast’s claws.

Maxsim leapt in, slamming his tower shield down to block the blow. As Caspar charged past him, axe and voice raised, Maxsim took the soldier’s face in hand and shook him.

“Stay focused!” he said. “Don’t join them!”

The soldier shook himself and shouted, “Sir, yes sir!” He ran to join Anahid, Henryk, and their soldiers at another limb when Maxsim gestured to them. Anahid was fastest among them, darting in and out to slash at muscle and tendon. Henryk aimed for the bones she left exposed, stabbing to splinter and leaping away to let their soldiers smash the splinters to bits.

Almost in unison the beasts fell, and almost in unison the last of the Agarthan soldiers fell with them. One attempted to run, but Anahid caught her in a tackle that took them both to the ground. She wrenched one of the woman’s arms behind her back roughly enough to dislocate it; the woman stopped struggling immediately. As she hauled the woman back to her feet, she saw the others grinning at her and smiled for it. The smiles Byleth and Edelgard had for her when they approached with the Agarthan soldier in tow made her grin outright.

“On your knees,” Caspar said, taking the sword from the woman’s belt and throwing it well out of reach. The woman, pale and shaking from the pain, sank down on her knees as Byleth and Edelgard approached and the strike force, students, and soldiers circled around them.

“Going to torture me?” the woman said, and she spat on their feet. “Do your worst.”

“We’ll let you leave,” Byleth said, “if you agree to take a message to Nemesis.”

The woman sneered, but said nothing.

“Face us in direct combat,” Edelgard said. “Nothing remains of Rhea’s body for you to use. End this now.”

The woman kept silent for a time. Disgust rose in her face then, and after a time she said, “You think you have any right to make a demand of me?”

“You were defeated in combat. We’re offering you a chance to—”

“Here’s what I think of your ‘offer’ and your damned soliders!” the woman snarled, dark energy building in her good hand. Though Byleth began to raise a ward, the woman turned sharply. Her eyes fell on Anahid, and she threw a Dark Spike with a raged scream.

“_Ana_—”

Anahid stumbled back as she was shoved out of the way. Lenci could not raise a full ward quickly enough; the spike glanced off of it and hit her side, going straight through her. She wavered where she stood, legs starting to buckle. She coughed up blood as it poured down one leg, and she began to fall without a word.

“_Lenci_!” Anahid screamed. She scrambled to catch her before she hit the ground, not noticing the Agarthan woman creating another Dark Spike. Henryk threw his lance to pierce her hand even as Maxsim ran to put his shield down in front of Anahid and Lenci. The woman screamed, but was silenced almost instantly by the bolt of Thoron cast through her heart. Linhardt ignored the woman’s corpse falling as he ran over, Physic already cast and starting to work.

“On her back, Anahid,” he said as he approached. “Don’t make her stretch or twist while I work.”

“Right,” Anahid said, voice faint. “Okay. Okay, I—”

“Ana, it _hurts_,” Lenci whimpered. Her breath hitched as she began to cry.

“I know,” Anahid whispered, helping her settle on her back. “Just hang on.”

“Keep her calm and don’t let her heal herself,” Linhardt said, casting several more healing spells as he knelt down. “She’ll burn through her magic and her strength if she tries.”

Anahid caught Lenci’s hands before she could reach for the wound, and she held tight despite Lenci’s choked cry.

“Ana, _please_!” she sobbed. “It _hurts_!”

“The pain will reduce as the healing continues,” Linhardt said. “I was being serious when I said to keep her calm.”

“Right.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Right.” She glanced at Maxsim and Henryk, who dropped to their knees at Lenci’s head. Henryk lifted Lenci’s head onto one of his legs; Maxsim set a hand on her shoulder. Anahid nodded to them before lifting Lenci’s hands to her own face.

“Lenci,” she said. “Look at me? Please?” She waited for Lenci to look at her through her tears, smiling gently at her. “It’s all right. I know why you did that. I’d do the same thing for the same reason. But you’ll be okay. Don’t worry—just breathe slowly.”

She struggled for breath, eventually choking out, “Th-the same thing?”

“For the same reason,” said Anahid. “But you don’t want me to say it now when you’ll be okay and I can say it better later. We can talk back at the monastery.” She smiled, rubbing Lenci’s knuckles with her thumbs. “Just breathe, Lenci. One in, one out.”

Lenci finally managed it, breath hitching only once from pain. Though she continued to cry, her sobbing came to an end as the healing progressed.

“Keep her talking,” Linhardt said, sweat on his brow. “I don’t want to think she’s going into shock.

“Right,” Anahid said. After some thought, she said, “I heard we can live off campus starting second year. Do you want to find a place with me?”

“Of c-course I do, Ana.”

“There’s probably somewhere that rents to students and lets them keep a cat.”

She smiled slightly. “I hope so.”

“Almost done,” Linhardt said. “Just a minute.” He focused to finish healing the wound, wiping his brow when he was done. “That was a lot of blood, so no strenuous activity. No casting, for starters.”

“Okay,” Lenci said quietly. Though she tried to sit up on her own, Maxsim helped her before she could struggle. She looked at Anahid, immediately being pulled into her arms. She whispered something in Anahid’s ear too quietly to be heard by anyone else, and she closed her eyes tight when Anahid whispered back.

“We’re heading back to the monastery,” Edelgard said. “Those who can walk, help the injured. We’ll come back with wagons for our dead and to cremate the enemy and beasts.”

“Yes, your majesty,” the soldiers replied. They began to look for each other, the uninjured helping those hurt to start walking back to the monastery. The pegasus knights came down from the sky to provide a rear guard, the wyvern riders staying in the air. Anahid picked Lenci up to carry her, Maxsim and Henryk moving to walk on either side of her.

Before Lysithea could turn and start away, Edelgard beckoned her over. Lysithea frowned, but obeyed and fell into step between her and Byleth as they walked.

“If you’re going to lecture me about killing the prisoner,” Lysithea said, “there was no way around it. She was going to kill _someone_ if she wasn’t stopped. Lenci’s lucky to have survived getting hit with a Dark Spike at all, and—”

“Lysithea, I’m not angry you did that,” Edelgard said. “I wanted to thank you for acting so quickly.”

“Oh. Well…you’re welcome, then.”

“And to ask how much of a blow it is to lose her until she recovers.”

“Losing anyone who can cast Dark Spikes is a bad thing right now,” Lysithea replied. “And I’m sure we’d lose one mage’s magic a day to healing her if we want her back up sooner.” She looked between them and asked, “How many could we even spare right now?”

“Realistically, only one,” Byleth said. “It can’t be Linhardt. We need him available if any attacks come.” She sighed through her nose. “And we lost her as a healer, too.”

“You need to teach your fledglings to stop jumping into danger like this,” Lysithea muttered, a frown on her face. “Do they not understand how awful it is to see them get hurt as badly as they do?”

“I’ll talk to them,” Byleth replied. “But I’m pretty sure I know why Lenci did that, and any lectures I could come up with wouldn’t have stopped her.”

“Fine. But you better not be angry at me if I kill anyone else who tries to do that to one of our people.”

“We won’t be trying that again,” Edelgard said. “The risk is clearly too high. We’ll have to continue on this way until Nemesis chooses to show his face.”

“Hopefully,” Byleth murmured, “we can get a little more time for Hubert and Ferdinand to get here with reinforcements.”

“They’ll make it,” Edelgard said, smiling at her. “They’ve never let us down before.”

Byleth smiled, nodded, and moved closer to take Edelgard’s hand when Lysithea went on ahead.

————

The rain returned the next day, pouring even heavier than before. It left the nights freezing, high in the mountains and close to the north as they were. The doors to the dining hall were shut tight every night for a week, soldiers huddled together around mages as they held handfuls of Fire. Anahid did the same for Lenci, Maxsim and Henryk, and Byleth, Dorothea, and Lysithea for the strike force.

Another attack came at dawn the end of the week, soldiers marching out into the rain to face a small force of ten mages and two beasts. Though no soldiers were lost, several came back with wounds inflicted by magic and crushing blows alike. Byleth joined the healers in working through the day, every solider healed but exhausted by the end of the day.

Yet another attack came four days later, but with only five mages, five soldiers, and two more beasts. The strike force took the lead then, keeping casualties to three soldiers needing to be healed. Bernadetta took the last kill of the day, firing an arrow into a soldier’s throat to keep him from charging at Linhardt.

Patrols were set up the next day, flying units heading further out to survey the river and anything that could be traveling on it. Petra led teams of hunters out to capture prey to supplement their supplies, bringing back a few deer and cleaning them for the rest of the day’s meals. It invigorated the soldiers, keeping their spirits high as rain continued to fall and the healers made their rounds that evening.

Five days later, two more beasts and five soldiers arrived with a break in the rain, the battle held under an iron gray sky with distant thunder threatening more rain. The students led the charge, almost keeping the casualties to the same small number as the strike force before them save for the addition of Maxsim breaking his wrist from a poorly done block. It earned him a quiet lecture from Byleth on proper form, Lenci being allowed to heal him.

No attacks came in the following week, or even the week after. Day by day, tension rose throughout the monastery. Scouts went on regular patrols on the ground and in the air, but still no signs of beasts or Agarthan soldiers appeared on the horizon. The next supply run from Varley reported nothing strange from their trek, but they wished them luck all the same. It did nothing to alleviate the tension, and it continued to grow as they approached the end of a third full week without an attack.

In the middle of the fourth week, a flying scout burst into the library while Byleth and Edelgard discussed troop placement around the monastery with the strike force and Seteth in the late afternoon. Byleth stood, expecting fright on the man’s face but instead finding joy.

“To the south along the Airmid River!” he said. “There’s two horses on the approach and they’re flying the Adrestian flag! I can see soldiers marching in the distance behind them!”

“Hubert and Ferdinand,” Edelgard said, exhaling a laugh. “I didn’t expect them to bring a flag with them.”

“And it’s probably Ferdinand holding it,” Byleth chuckled.

“Never thought I’d be happy to see their faces,” Linhardt said with a weary smile.

“Let’s go greet them!” Caspar said, grinning. They left the library at once, heading to the entrance hall to wait just inside as the gate was opened. It was no time at all before the horses and their riders appeared, and even at a distance they could tell it was Hubert and Ferdinand. They dismounted at the door, a solider hurrying up to take the flag and lead the horses away to the stables.

“Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said as he and Ferdinand moved to meet them. “Reinforcements are close behind us. Count Bergliez sent all the men he could spare and the forces from the Arundel should be on their way.”

“Thank you, Hubert,” Edelgard said. “You have no idea how relieved we are to see you both.”

“You all look exhausted, Edelgard,” Ferdinand said. “How many attacks have there been?”

“Four in total,” Byleth said. “But they stopped suddenly nearly a month ago. I’m worried they’re gathering their forces for a final attack.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me,” said Hubert. “It’s what _we’re_ doing, after all.”

“How many did you bring?” Caspar asked.

“One hundred and twenty five in total. The forces from the Arundel mission will bring us up another fifty, should they all be alive.”

“That brings us up to…two hundred ninety-six,” said Byleth. She sighed. “We’ll need to start using dorm rooms and the cathedral to house people.”

“We can make due,” Ferdinand said. “Hopefully we will have our enemy come to us soon enough. Preferably after the Arundel forces arrive.”

“We can’t rely on that,” Edelgard said. “Come what may, we must be prepared to do battle with the resources we have.”

“It will be done, your majesty,” Hubert said, bowing to her.

“Hubie, you and Ferdie get some rest in the dining hall,” Dorothea said. “We’ll get everyone sorted out when they arrive.”

“Thank you, Dorothea,” Ferdinand said. “Come, Hubert, you need a moment to sit on something other than a horse.” He took Hubert’s hand and led him away, Edelgard smiling as they went.

The reinforcements were sorted into groups when they arrived, cycling through the dining hall for a late meal before being directed to dormitory rooms or the cathedral. Again, the night was freezing cold, the rain turning to hail that did not manage to wake anyone despite the noise.

Byleth, on the first watch shift for the night, paced the dining hall to check on people as they slept. The students were amidst the soldiers under their lead. Maxsim lay in the middle, Henryk settled with his back against Maxsim’s side. Anahid lay on his other side, her arms around Lenci. In turn, Lenci had fallen asleep with her head against Anahid’s chest.

Hubert and Ferdinand were curled up together, Ferdinand’s back to Hubert’s chest. Linhardt was facedown on his bedroll between them and Caspar, who had somehow managed to keep his sprawl under control. Close on his other side was Bernadetta, curled up in a tight ball but with a peaceful expression on her face. Petra and Dorothea were next to her, Dorothea with her face pressed to Petra’s chest and her ear over her heart. Lysithea and Leonie were beside them, Leonie holding Lysithea close. Edelgard was on their other side, bundled up beneath her cape and Byleth’s coat.

For just a moment, Byleth ignored all thoughts of what was coming and watched them all sleep soundly. When she was relieved from first watch, she gladly curled up with Edelgard to get some rest, smiling because Edelgard did not stir.

————

The rainfall grew intermittent after that, a few days of rain followed by a few of sunny skies. The reinforcements from Arundel arrived a week after Hubert and Ferdinand, all fifty alive but all weary from the hard march. They were given priority to rest and recover, and the next supply run from Varley brought extra food to account for their increased numbers.

It happened three days after the Arundel forces arrived. Leonie, out on patrol, spotted a trio of riders on black horses approaching along the river. She watched them a moment to gauge their speed before flying back to the monastery. The soldiers at the gate directed her to the fishing pond, where Byleth was fishing to help supplement that day’s lunch and Edelgard sat close by reviewing reports of their numbers and supplies.

“Your majesties,” Leonie said as she approached, “there’s something coming up the river.”

They turned to look at her, Byleth turning back to the pond for a moment to quickly reel in a fish. As she tossed the fish into a bucket, she asked, “How many? Any beasts?”

“No beasts, ma’am,” Leonie replied. “Just three riders on horses.”

“Envoys,” said Edelgard. “They must be coming to try to parley.” Frowning, she asked, “You don’t think they still believe they have something to bargain with or for, do you?”

“There’s no telling at this point,” Byleth said. “We’ll just have to meet them. Leonie, get flying units to the gate to keep us covered. We’ll get archers and mages to provide ground cover.”

“Yes ma’am,” Leonie said, bowing briefly before heading off.

“And here I thought I’d get a chance to fish for a while,” Byleth sighed. 

“You may still yet, my love,” Edelgard said, taking the fishing rod as Byleth picked up the laden bucket. “Depending on how all of this goes.” She returned the rod to the fishing stand before they went to the dining hall, gathering troops after that. They all gathered at the gate, Hubert returned to his place close at Edelgard’s left side as the Agarthan riders approached.

“Halt!” Hubert said when they were near. “That is close enough to deliver a message!”

“We are here to speak with the so-called emperor of Fódlan!” a rider replied. “Bring her here!”

“I am here with my empress,” Edelgard said. “State your business.”

“Nemesis, king of all men, orders you to hand over the Nabateans, including the body of the traitorous witch Seiros! Do this, and he will consider sparing you during his glorious reclamation of this land!”

“Seteth and Flayn are under our protection,” Byleth said, “and nothing remains of Rhea’s body. We will turn nothing over to you.”

“Go back to your _so-called_ king and tell him this,” Edelgard said. “If he wants to conquer Fódlan, he must go through us to have it.”

“You _dare_ to challenge the king of all men?”

“As he dares to challenge us. If he chooses to be a coward and not face us here, we will chase him wherever he goes. We will not run, and we _will_ defeat him.”

“We will see about that,” the rider snarled, and he spat toward them before all three of the riders turned and set off at a gallop.

“Finally,” Hubert murmured. “Our enemy raises his head.”

“And we will raise our weapons in turn,” Edelgard replied. She looked at Byleth, who nodded and lifted a hand for attention. When the flying units were on the ground and all eyes were on her, she raised her voice to speak.

“Our enemy is coming!” she said. “Scouts will be sent to check their numbers, but we must be prepared for a greater of beasts and soldiers than we have faced before! Twice as many or more!”

Whatever fear lingered in a few soldiers was rattled loose by the deafening call of “Yes, your majesty!”

“Combatants are to mobilize immediately!” said Edelgard. “Non-combatants are to be moved to the cathedral and combatants will report to the entrance hall for assignments!”

Again, the call of, “Yes, your majesty!” was deafening, and the soldiers broke apart at once to begin relaying the order. Byleth, Edelgard, and Hubert moved to the entrance hall, a small table and a map of the monastery and one mile around it being brought to them quickly.

Group by group, the soldiers came to them for assignment. The most well rested and experienced soldiers were placed at the front of their forces, cavalry at the fore, foot soldiers just behind, and mages on their flanks. Archers would form three great lines behind the foot soldiers, arrows filling quivers fit to burst. Flying units would give additional ranged support, as well as rapid attacks on other riders or flying beasts.

When the students came for their and their divisions’ assignments, Lenci was with them. Byleth raised a brow at her, but Lenci did not shy away.

“Are you going to be a liability?” Byleth asked.

“No, Professor,” Lenci said. “I went to Linhardt to check on me before we came and he said I was well enough to fight.”

“Are you three willing to let her fight?” Byleth asked, looking between the others.

“I’m going to feel way safer if she’s out there with us to have our backs,” Maxsim replied.

“I feel the same, Professor,” Henryk said. “We need her out there with us.”

When Byleth looked at her with a raised brow, Anahid said, “You probably feel worse _and_ safer when her majesty goes to battle with you, so you know my answer.”

“All right,” Byleth sighed. “Then you _all_ and your divisions will be in the middle, close to the archers’ line, as part of the team responsible for moving the line up. If the vanguard needs assistance or they break a line of the enemy’s, you’re there as their first support.”

“Yes ma’am,” they chorused, and they went off to relay the order to their soldiers.

The scouts were sent out on the fastest pegasi, Leonie at their head, when all assignments had been issued. Byleth, Edelgard, and Hubert stood atop the main gate as they awaited their return. Less than an hour passed before they appeared again, and each of them wore a grim expression as they came up to the gate.

“Twenty beasts,” Leonie said. “Six flying, and we couldn’t get close enough to get a clear count on the soldiers. My best guess is close to a hundred, goddess knows how they’re split up. They’re down the river and on flat land, just waiting now.”

“And Nemesis?” Edelgard asked.

“There’s one guy getting a wide berth at the head of all of it. My money’s on him being Nemesis.”

“All right,” said Byleth. “Get into formation with the other flying units as their lead with Seteth. We’re going to move out and meet them head on.”

“Yes, Professor,” Leonie said, saluting before heading off with the scouts.

“I feel I must apologize,” Hubert said when they were out of earshot.

“What?” Edelgard said. “What do you think you have to apologize for?”

“If we had come sooner, I could’ve gone out to find more information on Nemesis,” he said. “As things stand, we don’t even know what kind of weapon he wields. We’re going into battle with little information and without heroes’ relics to use against him.”

“We can’t rely on the power of the relics any longer,” Edelgard replied. “If we’re to truly rebuild the world and make it better than it once was, we have to rely on our own strength. However difficult that is.”

“We’ll make it through, Hubert,” Byleth said. “We didn’t kill Rhea just to fall to someone she killed once before.”

He chuckled quietly and said, “From anyone else, I would find that attitude dangerously reckless. From you, Professor, it is…reassuring. You have my thanks.” He took a step back, set a hand over his heart, and bowed to them both. “The strike force and I will carve you a path to Nemesis that we may destroy our enemies once and for all.”

“Thank you, Hubert,” Edelgard said. “Let the strike force know what’s going on and get our forces fully assembled. We move out within the hour.”

“Yes, Lady Edelgard,” he said, bowing again before setting off.

Byleth reached for Edelgard’s hand when they were alone, holding tight and steady. They did not speak as they waited, standing together, unwavering, as the soldiers assembled at the gate below them. Even when they had assembled, Byleth and Edelgard did not let go of each other’s hands. They moved to stand before the soldiers together, Byleth raising her free hand.

“It’s my hope,” Byleth said to the soldiers, “that what we do today will be the last great battle for many years.” She gestured beyond the gate and said, “Our enemy lies in wait, at least a hundred strong and backed by twenty demonic beasts. We absolutely must win this battle to ensure the safety of all Fódlan, not just Adrestia.”

“You are Fódlan’s greatest defense now,” said Edelgard. “Stand firm with your brothers and sisters in arms and fight for them! Fight for your families, for your loved ones, for every person who dreams of peace! Stand now and _fight_!”

The soldiers roared their approval, and they only grew quiet when Byleth and Edelgard came down to join them. The march began, every soldier alert and every arm at the ready. No songs were sung then, ears trained for the sounds of beasts, spell castings, and arrows being loosed. Out to the southeast along the Airmid River they marched, Leonie and the scouts leading the way.

Within an hour, the Agarthan forces came into view at a distance. They stopped well out of range to survey and move into formation. With the enemy in view, the soldiers grew restless: horses and soldiers stomped their feet, archers toyed with the fletches on their arrow, and mages hummed and cleared their throats. Edelgard raised a hand for stillness and silence and received it at once.

Even at a distance, Byleth and Edelgard could clearly see the man Leonie had mentioned. He stood head and shoulders taller than any of the Agarthans around him, and almost twice as broad as them as well. A chill ran down Byleth’s spine; she knew his eyes were on her in that moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edelgard’s shoulders rise with tension and knew the man’s attention had moved to her.

“There’s no question,” Edelgard said. “That’s Nemesis.”

“It has to be a full rout, El,” Byleth said. “Even if we take his head, they’ll keep fighting.”

“Understood. Then let us battle those who slither in the dark one last time, my love.” They both turned to the soldiers, drew their weapons, and aimed them toward the Agarthan forces.

“All forces _advance_!” Byleth shouted.

The sound the soldiers made as they charged, feet pounding, armor rattling, voices raised to the heavens, was a marvelous and earth-shaking din. Byleth, Edelgard, and the strike force charged with them, Caspar and Petra’s war cries ringing out for all to hear. The archers stopped when they were in firing range of the charging Agarthans, and the arrows they fired were a sun-blotting cloud.

Agarthan archers returned fire. As the arrows crashed into each other overhead, the vanguard soldiers crashed into each other on the ground. Mages cast waves of Fire and Thunder in an effort to make the Agarthan soldiers part, but their own mages raised wards to block.

“Don’t waste your magic!” Byleth shouted to the mages. “Caspar, Petra, Ferdinand—break their line!”

“At once, your majesty!” Ferdinand replied. He spurred his horse forward at a gallop, lance at a downward angle. His speed was too great for the Agarthan mages; they were struck dead or knocked off balance as he charged them down. Caspar and Petra followed to cleave through those that remained, axe and sword flashing in the afternoon sunlight.

“Cut through!” Byleth said, pointing to the approaching beasts. “Mages, focus on supporting the flying units!” Turning back, she bellowed, “Archers and middle guard, _move up_!”

“Move up!” the students shouted in turn, and they led the soldiers forward. The archers stopped when they were in range to fire another volley at the flying demonic beasts. The pegasus knights and wyvern riders swooped between arrows and blasts of magic, landing great tearing blows on the beasts. All the magic and arrows could not keep several riders from being caught in the beasts’ jaws and claws, reduced to red mist and pulp that plummeted from the sky.

A beast came close to snapping up Leone and her pegasus, maw open wide. The image of the moon appeared in its mouth, the black hole of Luna giving Leonie time to escape. Distracted in her focus, Lysithea did not see the swordsman charging at her. Anahid, on her way up with the middle guard, did see it, and light flared in the backs of her eyes as she sprinted over.

Her sword was a blur as she attacked, parrying the swordsman’s blows perfectly and managing a biting riposte every time. The man was a bloodied pincushion by the time she cut his throat and let him fall dead. Anahid nodded to Lysithea, who nodded in turn before moving ahead.

The vanguard had cut a path to the beasts, the middle guard and archers pinning down the Agarthan soldiers for them. Lysithea hurried to join the rest of the strike force, firing a bolt of Thoron into a beast’s eye before it could swipe at Dorothea. In turn, Dorothea took space enough to cast Meteor on the beast’s head. The beast’s armor cracked and it wavered where it stood, as did Dorothea.

“I have you, Dorothea!” Ferdinand said. He offered her a hand, heaving her up into the saddle behind him before her legs gave out from the spell. As Hubert gave them an opening, casting Dark Spikes to cripple the beast’s nearest limb, they charged back in. Ferdinand drove his lance deep into the beast’s side, Dorothea casting Sagittae at close range.

The beast reeled in one direction, screaming because Bernadetta took out another of its eyes with an arrow. Caspar bellowed as he slammed his axe into one of the beast’s feet, Petra doing the same as she carved another of the beast’s feet into bloody chunks. Byleth and Edelgard moved in tandem to drive their weapons into the beast’s neck and send it dead to the ground.

“Professor, Edelgard, we’ve got this under control!” Linhardt said, rushing to heal the scorching on Dorothea’s hands. “Don’t spend your energy on fighting beasts!”

“Leave it to us, Lady Edelgard!” Hubert said. “Cut down your enemy!”

Edelgard nodded to them, looking at Byleth. Byleth nodded to her, the two of them breaking away from the beasts to rush toward Nemesis. He did not move to meet them, only raising his sword as they approached. Byleth’s thrust he parried, but he was stopped from riposting when Edelgard aimed her axe at his throat. He dodged without stepping back and swung at Edelgard’s throat as well. She blocked, but the sheer force behind the blow sent her stumbling back.

Teeth grit, Byleth stepped in to keep Nemesis from advancing on Edelgard. She and Nemesis traded blows, sparks flying from their blades on every block and parry. No ground was given, none lost, even as glancing blows began to draw blood. Edelgard returned to Byleth’s side, swinging at Nemesis’s nearest arm. When he moved to block, Byleth thrust at his other arm. He finally stepped back to dodge, but Byleth’s blow landed to slash his upper arm.

The cut was too shallow to disable his arm. Snarling, he swung at Edelgard again. When she dodged to avoid being flung backward, he turned his attention to Byleth. He swung overhand with one hand, too fast to dodge from. Byleth blocked, arms shaking and legs threatening to bend. She could not bring her guard down fast enough to stop his other fisted hand from smashing into her side.

Ribs broke; she did not know how many. Wheezing, she stumbled back. The next blow was aimed at her head, and blocking it drew up enough pain in her side that she nearly buckled. Edelgard ran in, swinging underhand to knock Nemesis’s sword up and away.

“Quickly, my love,” Edelgard said. “I will not let him touch you.”

Byleth nodded and cast a healing spell on herself. Edelgard moved to stand before her, axe on her shoulder. Nemesis met her gaze evenly.

“The emperor?” he said.

“I am,” she replied. “And she is my empress. I assume you know what kind of punishment is doled out to those who assault an empress.”

“You think I’d recognize the sovereignty of some little whelp birthed from the line that little witch Seiros _blessed_?” he asked with a sneer. “Or a creature Thales said housed that _goddess_?”

“Whether you recognize our sovereignty or not is irrelevant,” Edelgard said. “We killed Rhea, and we’ll kill you.”

He said nothing, instead charging at her. His overhand swing she parried, knocking the blade aside with perfect timing. The force carried the sword into the dirt, and before he could pull the blade free Edelgard swung for his chest. He leapt back, but his hesitation to pull the sword with him cost him a gash across the breadth of his chest. Again, it was too shallow to immediately disable him, but it sent blood running down his front all the same. He scowled as Edelgard cast the blood from her axe. Byleth moved to stand beside her then, face pale and one hand on her side.

“Can you fight?” Edelgard whispered to her.

“I can,” Byleth whispered back, but her voice was tight with pain. “Just can’t use up all my magic right now.” She put her hand back on her sword’s hilt and said, “Aim for his upper body. I’ll aim for his legs to keep him off balance.”

“Understood. Fall back to recover if you must.”

“All right.”

They charged at the same time, Byleth going to Nemesis’s left while Edelgard went to his right. He was forced to twist back and forth to block their attacks, but Byleth’s reduced speed earned her more wounds when her parries failed. Edelgard saw, and she pressed harder with her attacks to give Byleth a change to breathe. Nemesis repaid her focus by turning to face her more directly. Fury was growing in his face, swings of his sword even more forceful than before. Though they traded blows, cuts working their way through Edelgard’s armor while Nemesis’s skin was slashed over and over, every block Edelgard managed only served to chip away at her axe’s head.

By the time either Byleth of Edelgard noticed, it was too late. Nemesis spun to kick Byleth’s side, re-breaking her ribs and sending her to her knees. Edelgard swung hard in retaliation, but stared in horror when her axehead and Nemesis’s sword shattered against each other. Though she tried to step back, to raise her hands in a guard, Nemesis punched her hard enough to break her nose and send her sprawling. Before she could sit up, he was on her again with a piece of his broken sword in hand. He dropped down to stab her in the stomach, grabbing her by the throat to stifle her shout of pain.

“_Edelgard_!” Byleth screamed.

Grimacing, Edelgard grabbed his thumb with one hand and twisted to keep him from crushing her throat. He sneered at her as her breath grew ragged, as blood seeped from her mouth.

“Clipped your wings, little eagle,” Nemesis panted.

“Did you?” Edelgard hissed.

Byleth tore a stone from the ground and threw it as hard as she could. It struck Nemesis on the side of the head, stunning him just long enough for Edelgard to draw her dagger from her belt. She stabbed him in the heart, and before he could move in return, Byleth sprinted in and plunged her own dagger into the back of his neck. Dead in an instant, he started to slump forward. Byleth kicked him off of Edelgard and kept pushing him away, limping back as quickly as she could.

“El!” she said, dropping to her knees. “Hang on! Let me just—” She drew the broken sword out with one hand, Physic cast on the other. Edelgard grunted when Byleth lay her hands over the wound, gripping Byleth’s shoulders as she worked.

“And here I was hoping we’d get through this without major injuries,” Edelgard said quietly, exhaling a laugh. “Foolish of me.”

“You’ll be all right, El,” Byleth said, leaning down to kiss her brow. “Don’t worry. I’ll get your nose in a minute.”

“I have faith in you, my love,” Edelgard said in turn, smiling for her. She turned, hearing the screech of a beast. Her smile broadened at what she saw, and she murmured, “And I have faith in our family.”

Byleth turned to follow her gaze. The number of demonic beasts was dwindling, and the Agarthan forces even more so. She could just see the strike force rallying their troops to fell foe after foe. All the flying beasts had been dealt with, their flying units and archers free to assist against the remaining forces.

“It appears our victory is at hand, Byleth,” Edelgard chuckled.

“It is,” Byleth said, smiling as tension left her. She leaned down to kiss Edelgard’s brow again. “We finally won, El.”

“We have,” she murmured. She took a hand from Byleth’s shoulder to set a hand on her face. “I knew we would. I have you at my side, after all.”

Byleth smiled and turned her head to kiss her wrist. By the time the last beast fell and the strike force came for them, Edelgard was healed enough to stand. When the last foe fell, a full rout claimed, they returned to Garreg March with their heads held high in triumph.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we reach the end of part two! This part was more difficult to get out for some reason, despite being shorter overall, but I am very excited to get to the third and final part! Writing kids is very fun to do and I am a strong proponent of Byleth and Edelgard deserving a happy family. But it won't be all slice of life, I am too into drama for it to be all happy the whole way through.
> 
> I've started work on another AU story to write as I work on part three, but I am going to take a bit of a breather after the long rush this chapter was. Thank you for all the support and I hope you enjoy the third part and the other (Jedi!) AU when they come out!

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on twitter at <https://twitter.com/shinjishazaki> for updates, tiny previews, and other things related to my writing!


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